The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Friday the imposition of sanctions on four Iranian intelligence officials. In a statement, the Treasury identified the officials as "Ali Reza Farahani, Mahmoud Khazin, Amir Noori, and Kia Sadeqi." The Office of Foreign Assets Control stated that "the four officials are accused of targeting Americans and Iranian dissidents outside Iran as part of a widespread campaign to silence critics of the Iranian government."
The Tehran regime continues to intimidate, physically eliminate, and harass dissidents across borders, pursuing opponents of Iran abroad in a cross-border crackdown aimed at eradicating criticism. The non-governmental organization "Freedom House" documented 608 cases of government harassment and intimidation of foreign activists. In a report, the organization, based in Washington, D.C., noted that the Iranian regime has resumed its campaign against opponents abroad through various means, including abduction.
The report explained that many countries are employing various tools and methods to suppress foreign opposition and activists, ranging from threats or cyber harassment to the surveillance and control of agents. Other examples of harassment include passport issues or the refusal to issue passports and the harassment of the families of critics. According to the same report, Tehran has revitalized the use of these mentioned tactics in recent years, noting that since 2014, assassinations related to the Iranian regime's activities have been recorded in other countries.
One of the most significant points in the report is that "the Iranian regime's broad definition of who poses a threat contributes to the expansion and intensification of the cross-border crackdown." Tehran frequently classifies targeted dissidents and journalists as "terrorists," using this term as a broad justification for violence and the disregard for legal proceedings.
