The US’ State Department said it has designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General Hassan Shahvarpour, Khuzestan Province’s Vali Asr Commander, for his involvement in “gross violations of human rights against protestors during the November protests in Mahshahr, Iran”.
“The United States is listing IRGC Brig. Gen. Hassan Shavapor under Section 7031c, visa sanctions”, said US Special Representative on Iran Brian Hook, and added: “General Shavapor committed gross violations of human rights against protesters at the press briefing. He oversaw the massacre of 148 helpless Iranians in the Mashar region last November”.
Hook also said the designation is a result of photographs and videos with evidence of “repression and gross human rights abuses”, submitted to the department by Iranians.
Iran has denied the allegations. However, it acknowledged confronting separatists in Mahshahr that it said were armed.
“General Shahvarpour was in command of units responsible for the violent crackdown and lethal repression around Mahshahr. This is the first designation on an Iranian regime official being taken under the State Department authority from section 7031(c) authorities”, Hook concluded.
US sanctions Iranian general for 'gross violations of human rights'
EPA-EFE/SHAWN THEW
US Special Representative for Iran and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State Brian Hook responds to a question from the news media during a press conference at the US State Department in Washington, DC, USA, 04 September 2019. Hook announced that the US State Department, through it's Rewards for Justice program, is offering a reward of up to $15 million USD for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its branches including the IRGC-Qods Force.
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