Major Mehdi Alibabaei is the provincial deputy of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Qom. He directs IRGC and Basij
forces in the city of Qom.
Following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, some of the
most intense protests have been seen in the city of Qom. Security forces,
including the IRGC and the Basij militia were deployed to violently crack
down on these protests. Since March 2023, the IRGC and Basij militia
have also been instructed to enforce the mandatory hijab law by new
methods of oppression.
Alibabaei revealed a new scheme to deploy members of the Basij militia
in each Qom neighbourhood to enforce the hijab la
w. The new scheme
includes installing programs such as “Be a famous leader in our
neighbourhood”, ordering IRGC/Basij forces to conduct neighbourhood
patrols, the use of intelligence, intimidation, and enforcing accountability
of regular citizens (for example by appealing to the responsibility of
building and residence managers for “badly veiled” residents). This
scheme represents a new level of denunciation and information gathering
by the general population to oppress
women.
Under the command of Alibabaei, the local IRGC and Basij forces in Qom
are ordered to enforce certain selected laws, by means and methods that
intimidate citizens and violate their fundamental rights.
As provincial deputy of the IRGC in Qom, Major Mehdi Alibabaei is
responsible for the acts of oppression committed by the local IRGC and
Basij forces and their violations of the rights of freedom of expression and
privacy.
He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran.
- Restrictive measures in relation to serious human rights violations in Iran
- Restrictive measures in relation to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
- Restrictive measures in view of Iran's military support of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine
Regime
UN, EU country specific
Target State
Iran
Measures
Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available, Restrictions on admission
Sanctions Portfolio
- All assets of the listed persons and entities should be frozen. It is also prohibited to make any funds or assets directly or indirectly available to them.
- Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons listed in the Annex of Council Decision 2011/235/CFSP.
- Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons who are also subject to the asset freeze.
- Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons listed in the Annex of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532
Official Information
Program: Restrictive measures in relation to serious human rights violations in Iran (EU)
The restrictive measures in relation to serious human rights violations in Iran were first put in place on 12 April 2011. Travel restrictions and an asset freeze were introduced with respect to persons complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing grave human rights violations in the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders, students or other persons who speak up in defense of their legitimate rights. The measures can also be imposed against those who are complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing grave violations of the right to due process, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or the indiscriminate, excessive and increasing application of the death penalty, including public executions, stoning, hangings or executions of juvenile offenders in contravention of Iran’s international human rights obligations.
On 23 March 2012, in view of the gravity of the human rights situation in Iran, additional restrictive measures were introduced, namely an embargo on equipment which may be used for internal repression and on equipment that may be used to monitor or intercept the Internet and telephone communications on mobile or fixed networks.
Program: Restrictive measures in relation to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (EU-UN)
On Implementation Day (16 January 2016), the EU lifted all its economic and financial restrictive measures imposed in connection with the Iranian nuclear program. As a consequence, the following activities, including associated services, are again allowed as of Implementation Day: financial, banking and insurance measures; trade in the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors; activity in the shipping, shipbuilding and transport sectors. Moreover, a number of persons, entities and bodies were delisted and are therefore no longer subject to asset freezes, prohibitions to make funds available and visa bans. Details can be found in the JCPOA Information Note (Section 3). The JCPOA Information Note is available here: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/iran/32286/nuclear-agreement_en#JCPOA+Information+Note
However, a number of proliferation-related measures and restrictions remain in place even after Implementation Day. These concern inter alia the arms embargo, restrictive measures related to missile technology, restrictions on certain nuclear-related transfers and activities, and provisions concerning certain metals and software which are subject to an authorisation regime.
In addition, one should bear in mind that restrictive measures imposed by the EU in view of the human rights situation in Iran, support for terrorism and other grounds (e.g. the war in Syria) are not part of the JCPOA and remain in place.
Program: Restrictive measures in view of Iran's military support of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine (EU)
In several of its Conclusions in 2022 and 2023, the EU has strongly condemned any type of military support by Iran, including deliveries of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia's illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.
In view of Iran's continued military support to Russia's war of aggression, on 20 July 2023, the Council established a new framework of targeted sanctions banning the export of components used in the manufacturing of UAVs. The measures also consist of a travel ban to the EU and an asset freeze for persons and entities responsible for, or involved in, Iran's UAV programme. Additionally, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed.
Derogations to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Additional Details
Threre are three different sanctions programs against Iran imposed by the EU.
