Ardestani, Mohammad Mahdi Khanpour

"Today, OFAC designated Iranian intelligence officers Majid Dastjani Farahani (Farahani)and Mohammad Mahdi Khanpour Ardestani (Ardestani). The Iranian regime continues to aggressively target and stifle opponents and dissenting voices. Domestically, the regime has repeatedly responded to peaceful protests with brutal measures, from the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters to arbitrary detention and torture of detainees, including children. The regime’s efforts to silence its opponents extend far beyond its borders, where Iran has carried out acts of transnational repression, including rendition and lethal plotting against activists, journalists, and foreign government officials. Both Farahani and Ardestani have recruited individuals for various operations in the United States, to include lethal targeting of current and former U.S. Government officials as revenge for the death of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani. Farahani and Ardestani also recruited individuals for surveillance activities focused on religious sites, businesses, and other facilities in the United States."¹

Sources:

1. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1972