Iran Human Rights Abusers Who Should Be Sanctioned Now

Updated: December 16, 2022

In reaction to Mahsa Amini’s death in Iranian police custody and the regime’s violent attempts to suppress nationwide protests, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada have sanctioned certain Iranian officials and institutions responsible for human rights abuses. All Iran human rights sanctions designations can be viewed in United Against Nuclear Iran’s Iran Human Rights Sanctions Tracker.

Unfortunately, many more Iranian human rights violators have yet to be sanctioned by anyone. Consequently, United Against Nuclear Iran has compiled, and will continuously update, the following list of recommended targets for new human rights sanctions designations.

The sanctioned individuals noted on this page were designated after UANI’s recommendation.

Name Person/Entity Background AKA Sanctioned
Shabzendedar Jahromi, Mehdi Person

Member of the Guardian Council, which is sanctioned by the Canadian government for human rights abuses. Read More

Shahroudi, Mahmoud Mohammadi Person

Head of the Professors, Students, and Clerics Organization of the IRGC's paramilitary force, the Basij (Dec. Read More

Shamkhani, Ali Person

Secretary, Supreme National Security Council (2013–present). Read More

Shams Abadi, Mehdi Person

Mehdi Shams Abadi is the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of Zahedan and was previously the chief of the second branch of the appeal court of Sistan and Balochistan. Read More

Shibani, Lotfollah Person

"Shiraz City Governor Lotfollah Shibani announced January 26 that local merchants are required to deny services to unveiled women. Read More

Siari, Mehdi Person

Deputy commander, Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), 2022–present. Read More

Soozanchi Kashani, Ebrahim Person

Member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, an extremist-dominated government policy-making body that developed stricter regulations in 2019 for mandatory hijab wearing. Read More

Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Entity

Tasked with debating and forming consensus on critical national security issues confronting the Iranian system. Read More

Tahan Nazif, Hadi Entity

Member of and spokesperson for the Guardian Council, which is sanctioned by the Canadian government for human rights abuses. Read More

Tiandy Technologies Entity

"Tiandy Technologies has sold its surveillance cameras to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and other security services, according to a Tiandy website and social media posts. Read More

Vaedi, Ahmad Person

Member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, an extremist-dominated government policy-making body that developed stricter regulations in 2019 for mandatory hijab wearing. Read More

Vaezzadeh, Sadegh Person

Member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, an extremist-dominated government policy-making body that developed stricter regulations in 2019 for mandatory hijab wearing. Read More

Zohourian, Alaedin Person

Head of the United States sanctioned Press Supervisory Board. Read More

Zolfigol, Mohammad Ali Person

Minister of Science, Research, and Technology. Read More

Aghamiri, Seyyed Mohammad Amin Person

Appointed secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace on February 25, 2023. Read More

Aghamiri, Seyed Mohammad Amin
Al-Hosseini, Musa Asif Person

Alborz Revolutionary Court judge who sentenced Mohammad Mehdi Karami, Mohammad Hosseini, and three others to death in a mass trial that included three defendants who were minors. Read More

Al-Hosseini, Asef
Alamolhoda, Ahmad Person

Representative of the Supreme Leader in the province of Razavi Khorasan. Read More

Alam Al-Hoda, Ahmad
Ameli, Saied Reza Person

Former secretary of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution (2019–23), an extremist-dominated, policy-making government body that developed stricter regulations in 2019 for mandatory hijab wearing. Read More

Ameli, Seyed Saied Reza
Barati, Morteza Person

"Barati [a judge] has sentenced three people to death by hanging, according to Dehgan and local media reports: Saeid Yaghoubi, Majid Kazemi and Saleh Mirhashemi, accused of killing security force members. Read More

Barati, Qazi
Esmaeili, Mohammad Mehdi Person

Judiciary head for the province of Hormozgan. Read More

Esmaili, Mohammad Mehdi