Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 16, 2012
Today the United States Government took three separate sanctions actions against Iran’s primary intelligence agency, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). MOIS was designated for its involvement in the commission of serious human rights abuses against the Iranian people, as well as its support to terrorist groups, including al-Qa’ida, Hizballah and Hamas. It was also designated under a separate executive order for its support to the Syrian regime in brutally repressing the Syrian people. We have imposed visa and financial sanctions on the MOIS for its commission of serious human rights abuses in its own country.
Today’s action exposes the activities of the MOIS, and allows us to identify and sanction individuals, companies and other entities that, among other things, support or act on behalf of the MOIS. We encourage all of our partners to take similar actions in response to the MOIS involvement in illicit conduct.