President Biden marked the anniversary of the death of Mahsa “Zhina” Amini, the 22-year-old who died in the custody of Iranian morality police last year, by pledging to support the Iranian people as he faces criticism at home over a prisoner swap with Tehran.
Amini’s death on Sept. 16, 2022, sparked huge protests across Iran in support of women’s rights and a brutal crackdown from the Islamic Republic’s government.
“Mahsa’s story did not end with her brutal death. She inspired a historic movement — Woman, Life, Freedom — that has impacted Iran and influenced people across the globe who are tirelessly advocating for gender equality and respect for their human rights,” Mr. Biden said Friday. “In the face of continued oppression and violence, the citizens of Iran remain committed to this movement and to their fight for a free and democratic future. Iranians alone will determine the fate of their country, but, the United States remains committed to standing with them — including providing tools to support Iranians’ ability to advocate for their own future.”
Mr. Biden hailed Iranian’s resiliency as Republicans and others accuse him of bowing to pressure from Tehran.
The U.S. recently struck a deal to free five prisoners in exchange for five Iranian Americans held in Tehran and the release of billions in assets being held in South Korea, without fear of U.S. sanctions over the money transfer.
“I remain deeply concerned that the administration’s decision to waive sanctions to facilitate the transfer of $6 billion in funds for Iran, the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, creates a direct incentive for America’s adversaries to conduct future hostage-taking,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael T. McCaul, Texas Republican.
Mr. Biden on Friday insisted his administration has been a thorn in Tehran’s side and an ally to the Iranian people.
He pointed to an “unprecedented diplomatic campaign” to oust the Iranian government from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, and the creation of a fact-finding mission to investigate Iran’s human rights abuses.
“We have helped a growing number of human rights activists find safe haven in the United States, “Mr. Biden said. “We made it easier for Iranians to access the internet: At the height of the protests, 30 million Iranians — nearly one in three — were using U.S.-supported anti-censorship tools. We have also sanctioned over 70 Iranian individuals and entities responsible for supporting the regime’s oppression of its people. And today, we are announcing additional sanctions targeting some of Iran’s most egregious human rights abusers.”
The Treasury said it is imposing sanctions on 29 individuals and entities in connection with the Iranian regime’s violent suppression of nationwide protests.
The sanctions target 18 key members of the regime’s security forces in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF); the head of Iran’s Prisons Organization; three people and one company tied to the regime’s censorship and blocking of access to the internet; three IRGC and state-controlled media outlets –– Fars News, Tasnim News and Press TV –– and three senior officials.
“The United States, alongside the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and our other international allies and partners, will continue to take collective action against those who suppress Iranians’ exercise of their human rights,” said Brian Nelson, the undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The Treasury said it is the 13th round of sanctions tied to the protests, which began in September 2022.
Sens. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, and Alex Padilla, California Democrat, urged the Senate to pass their MAHSA Act, which imposes economic sanctions and visa penalties on Iranian leadership because of Amini’s death.
“Her death, and the bravery and strength of the Iranian women fighting for their basic freedoms, must not be in vain,” the senators said. “We must do our part to hold the Ayatollah and other Iranian leaders accountable for their violence against civilians and the regime’s ongoing wave of repression, censorship, and human rights abuses against its people.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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