The United States sanctioned Iran's Morality Police and other senior security officials over their involvement in severe human rights abuses.
Washington condemned the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died in police custody last week, which prompted peaceful protests across the country to arise. Iran's police violently suppressed the protests, during which a dozen of people lost their lives.
"The Iranian government needs to end its systemic persecution of women and allow peaceful protest. The United States will continue to voice our support for human rights in Iran and hold those who violate them to account," the State Department noted.
