Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:41pm on 15 Jan 2026,Thursday International
The United States imposed fresh sanctions Thursday on senior Iranian security officials over violent protest crackdowns, targeting Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme Council for National Security, as the central figure coordinating state security responses. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions at President Trump's direction, supporting Iranian people's freedom demands. Sanctions include senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and law enforcement officials accused of firing live ammunition at protesters. The Treasury also targeted shadow banking networks laundering petroleum revenue through sanctioned institutions like Bank Melli and Shahr Bank. Rights groups report 3,400 killed in crackdowns since December protests over economic hardship. Trump threatened military responses if detained protesters face execution, though diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman eased tensions. (PC: Reuters)
