Level 4 Travel Warning Last updated: 12/09/2021 *** Effective December 6, 2021, all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within one calendar day of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the United States may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 …
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Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest, detention of U.S. citizens, and COVID-19. Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Iran due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. Your …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN March 30, 2022 United States Imposes Sanctions on Iran’s Ballistic Missile-Related Activities The United States is designating five Iranian individuals and entities for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery …
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Statement on the Passing of Madeleine K. Albright 03/23/2022 07:57 EDT Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was a brilliant diplomat, a visionary leader, a courageous trailblazer, a dedicated mentor, and a great and good person who loved the United States deeply and devoted her life to serving it. She was also a …
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Statement by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden Marking Nowruz MARCH 20, 2022 . STATEMETNS AND RELEASES Jill and I extend our best wishes to all who are celebrating Nowruz in the United States and around the world today — including in Iran and the Middle East, Central and South Asia, the Caucuses, and …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN March 20, 2022 Nowruz Greeting On behalf of the State Department, I wish a Happy Nowruz to all those celebrating around the world. Whether in the United States, Iran, the broader Middle East, Central and South Asia, Europe, …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY NED PRICE, SPOKESPERSON March 13, 2022 Iran’s missile strikes on the Kurdistan region of Iraq The United States strongly condemns the missile strikes on Erbil, Iraq last night that emanated from Iran. The strikes were an outrageous violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. No …
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FEBRUARY 23, 2022 The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction …
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US Embassy Sweden: Our Embassy community is saddened by the recent passing of former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden, Mrs. Azita Raji, who left us after a period of illness. Azita Raji served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden between March 2016 and January 2017. Ambassador Raji was nominated for the State Department’s …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release READOUT January 20, 2022 Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Transatlantic Quad Foreign Ministers The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and UK Minister of State for Middle East, North …
Read More» U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN December 7, 2021 Targeting Repression and Supporting Democracy Consistent with the goals of this week’s Summit for Democracy, the United States is committed to using its full range of tools to counter serious human rights abuse and repressive …
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U.S. GCC Iran Working Group Statement 11/17/2021 01:26 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson Senior officials of the United States (U.S.) and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), convened their Working Group on Iran at the GCC’s headquarters in Riyadh on November 17, as decided by the U.S.-GCC Foreign Ministerial on September 23. …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN November 18, 2021 Designation of Iranian Cyber Actors for Attempting to Influence the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election State-sponsored actors, including Iranian groups, have engaged in covert and deceptive activities to disseminate disinformation through websites and social media designed …
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Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will lead an interagency team to the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain from November 11-20 to hold consultations with partners and attend a series of regional engagements. He will coordinate our approaches on a broad range of concerns with Iran, including its destabilizing activities in the region …
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Remarks by President Biden at the COP26 Leaders Statement NOVEMBER 01, 2021•SPEECHES AND REMARKS Scottish Event Campus Glasgow, Scotland 2:55 P.M. GMT THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, to state the obvious, we meet with the eyes of history upon us and the profound questions before us. It’s simple: Will we act? Will we do what …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release REMARKS November 1, 2021 Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the COP26 U.S. Center Opening Event November 1, 2021 Glasgow, United Kingdom SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to join all of you for what is the official launch of the U.S. …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN October 29, 2021 Designation of Six Targets Involved in Iran’s Destabilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activities Today, the United States designated six Iranian targets – two entities and four individuals – using Executive Orders (E.O.) 13224 and 13382, which …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN October 13, 2021 Sixth Anniversary of Iran’s Wrongful Detention of Siamak Namazi Today marks six years that Iran has wrongfully detained Siamak Namazi, a U.S. citizen who has committed no crime and has been held by the Iranian government for the better part of a …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release MEDIA NOTE October 13, 2021 Special Envoy Malley’s Trip to the Middle East Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia from October 15-21 to meet and discuss with our Gulf partners a range of …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN September 17, 2021 The United States Imposes Sanctions on International Networks Supporting Terrorism The United States has designated Lebanon- and Kuwait-based members of a financial network that funds Hizballah, as well as members of an international network of …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN September 3, 2021 Sanctioning Iranian Intelligence Affiliates for Targeting Dissidents Abroad Iran’s attempt to kidnap a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil because she used her freedom of speech to criticize the Iranian government is unacceptable and an egregious …
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The United States is imposing sanctions on members of an international oil smuggling network, the leaders of which have provided support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). This action targets an oil broker from Oman who, in partnership with senior IRGC-QF officials, has used several companies to facilitate shipments of Iranian oil to …
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OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON AUGUST 6, 2021 The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union. Begin Text: We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, …
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We join our partners and allies in our strong condemnation of the attack against the Mercer Street, a commercial ship that was peacefully transiting through the north Arabian Sea in international waters. Upon review of the available information, we are confident that Iran conducted this attack, which killed two innocent people, using one-way explosive UAVs, …
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Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Foreign Malicious Cyber Activity Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure July 15, 2021 The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, …
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson REMARKS TO THE PRESS May 12, 2021 Secretary Antony J. Blinken On Release of the 2020 International Religious Freedom Report Press Briefing Room Washington, D.C. MR PRICE: Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce Secretary Blinken, who will …
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Secretary Antony J. Blinken Virtual Remarks at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Multilateralism May 7, 2021 Washington, D.C. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Let me start by thanking China and Foreign Minister Wang for initiating this critical discussion on the future of the United Nations and the international order. …
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Remarks by President Biden in Address to a Joint Session of Congress APRIL 29, 2021 • SPEECHES AND REMARKS U.S. Capitol (April 28, 2021) **See correction below, marked by an asterisk. 9:06 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Good to be back. And Mitch and Chuck will understand it’s good to be almost home, down …
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Today, the 51st Earth Day, we must work together to combat the climate crisis and restore our Earth for the benefit of everyone. Each year, an estimated one billion people around the world mobilize for action on Earth Day, and this year, the United States joins this wave of action. This morning, President Biden will …
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SPEECH ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE NATO HEADQUARTERS AGORA BRUSSELS, BELGIUM MARCH 24, 2021 SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good afternoon. A few weeks ago, not long after becoming Secretary of State, I spoke directly to the American people. I said that my number one job is to ensure that America’s foreign policy delivers for them – that it makes their lives more …
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Spring is an eternal symbol of renewal and rebirth, with light and hope filling the hearts of people from the United States to Iran, Central Asia, the Caucuses, the Middle East, and Europe. That is the message and the joy of Nowruz that we are honoring with a Haft-Sin table in the White House. This …
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March 20, 2021 On behalf of the State Department, I would like to extend my best wishes for a Happy Nowruz to everyone around the world who celebrates this festive occasion: from the people in Iran and the Middle East, to Europe, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Americas. Marking the first day of …
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Today at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, we made clear our concerns about the abuses the Iranian government continues to perpetrate against its citizens, including the unjust detention of far too many in deplorable conditions. The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those responsible for such actions. Therefore, I am announcing the designation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) interrogators Ali Hemmatian and Masoud Safdari pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the …
Read More» Today marks 14 years since Iran abducted beloved husband, father, grandfather and former FBI agent Robert “Bob” Levinson. In December, the United States sanctioned two high-ranking officials of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security who were involved in the abduction, detention and likely death of Bob Levinson. However, this case is not closed. We call on the Iranian government to provide credible answers to what …
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President Biden’s Executive Order sends a message loud and clear: refugees are welcome in the United States of America. Today, the United States is recommitting to treating all individuals applying for U.S. refugee programs with dignity and respect, and free from discrimination. I look forward to implementing the Executive Order with the State Department’s team …
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U.S. Department of State Headquarters Harry S. Truman Building Washington, D.C. THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary, it’s great to be here with you. And I’ve been looking forward a long time to be able to call you “Mr. Secretary.” Good afternoon, everyone. It’s an honor to be back at the State Department under the eyes of …
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The Department of State suspended routine visa services worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, U.S. Embassies and Consulates began a phased resumption of routine visa services. The resumption of routine visa services, prioritized after services to U.S. citizens, will occur on a post-by-post basis, consistent with the Department’s guidance …
Read More» On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation titled “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States.” This proclamation ends the travel restrictions under Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983 that had suspended entry into the United States of certain nationals, based on visa type, from Burma, Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, North …
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The United States Capitol 11:52 AM EST THE PRESIDENT: Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, distinguished guests, and my fellow Americans. This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope. Of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages America …
Read More» Iranian conventional arms proliferation poses a persistent threat to regional and international security, as evidenced by Iran’s continued military support and confirmed arms transfers that fuel ongoing conflict in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere. On September 21, we announced the implementation of Executive Order 13949 that provides the United States additional tools to hold …
Read More» In June 2020, the State Department sanctioned the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) pursuant to Executive Order 13382 (WMD Proliferators and Their Supporters). At that time, we underscored the fact that IRISL is the preferred shipping line for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents. We have warned industry that those who do business with …
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Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on two organizations controlled by the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) and Astan Quds Razavi (AQR). While masquerading as charitable organizations, EIKO and AQR control large portions of the Iranian economy, including assets seized from political dissidents and religious minorities, for the …
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Today, I revealed new information about how the Islamic Republic of Iran has given a new operational headquarters to al-Qa’ida, the terrorist network with more American blood on its hands than any other. For al-Qa’ida, Iran is the new home base. Tehran gives sanctuary to the terror group’s senior leaders as they plan attacks against …
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In December Iran’s parliament passed a law requiring expulsion of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear inspectors unless all sanctions are lifted. Today a member of the parliamentary leadership repeated that threat: all IAEA watchdog inspectors will be ejected unless sanctions are lifted. Once again the Iranian regime is using its nuclear program to extort …
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The American people honor the memory of the passengers and crew of Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752, whose lives were abruptly and senselessly taken one year ago by an unjustified Iranian shootdown. The United States joins the Governments of Ukraine, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Afghanistan in paying tribute to, and calling for justice …
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Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on 17 companies and one individual in connection with Iran’s metals industry. The Iranian regime uses revenue from its metals sector to fund the regime’s destabilizing activities around the world. The Department of State is designating China-based Kaifeng Pingmei New Carbon Materials Technology Co., LTD (KFCC) and Iran-based …
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Petroleum and petrochemicals are major sources of revenue for the Iranian regime, revenue it employs to oppress the Iranian people and to advance its malign foreign agenda. Today, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on Vietnam Gas and Chemicals Transportation Corporation, a vessel manager, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, for knowingly engaging, on …
Read More» Today, the Department of State has designated the Saraya al-Mukhtar group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for posing a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Saraya al-Mukhtar is an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Bahrain, reportedly …
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For 13 years, the Iranian regime has denied knowledge of Robert A. “Bob” Levinson’s whereabouts or condition. However, senior Iranian officials authorized Levinson’s abduction and detention and launched a disinformation campaign to deflect blame from the regime. Today, the United States is designating two senior officials of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), who …
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The United States condemns the law recently approved by Iran’s Majles and Guardian Council, which is nothing more than the regime’s latest ploy to use its nuclear program to try to intimidate the international community. If implemented, this law would result in Iran enriching uranium to the dangerous 20% level, while Iran is already exceeding …
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Today, the United States is designating Hasan Irlu, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) officer Iran recently sent to Sana’a Yemen to serve as the group’s liaison to the Houthi Movement. The United States is also designating Al-Mustafa International University, an Iranian university with over 50 international branches which provide a platform …
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The United States condemns any Iranian regime involvement in a chemical weapons program and will sanction those involved in any such activity. Today, the United States designated Iranian defense entity Shahid Meisami Group and its director, Mehran Babri, under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or WMD delivery systems, …
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The United States welcomes the Agreement announced today by the negotiating teams from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban. This Agreement is a major milestone in the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations that have been underway since September 12, 2020. The Agreement codifies the rules and procedures the two sides have been negotiating since the …
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On Wednesday, November 25, 2020, the United States sanctioned four entities located in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia for supporting Iran’s missile program, under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA). We imposed sanctions against Chengdu Best New Materials Co., Ltd. and Zibo Elim Trade Co., Ltd. in the PRC …
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The Maximum Pressure campaign against the Iranian regime continues to be extraordinarily effective. Today, Iran’s economy faces a currency crisis, mounting public debt, and rising inflation. Prior to the Maximum Pressure campaign, Iran was exporting nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. Now it struggles to export even a quarter of that volume. Since …
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One year ago, the Iranian regime killed as many as 148 Iranian civilians in Mahshahr, while imposing digital darkness to hide evidence of their savage crackdown on last November’s protests in that city. Both protesters and bystanders were targeted by snipers on rooftops, tracked down and surrounded by armored vehicles, and sprayed with machine-gun fire. …
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On November 15, 2019 and in the week that followed, brave Iranians took to the streets of more than 200 cities across Iran to protest four decades of mismanagement by a corrupt regime that squandered its people’s wealth on terrorism abroad and oppression at home. As the protesters exercised their freedom of expression, the regime …
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On November 10, 2020 the Department of the Treasury designated an international network of six companies and four individuals for facilitating the procurement of sensitive goods, including U.S.-origin electronic components, for Iran Communications Industries (ICI). ICI is a sanctioned Iranian military firm and a subsidiary of Iran Electronics Industries, which falls under Iran’s Ministry of …
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Forty-one years ago today, Ayatollah Khomeini’s followers broke into the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took more than 50 U.S. diplomats hostage. For the next 444 days, the Iranian regime tormented these brave Americans and their families who did not know if they would ever see their loved ones again. The survivors of the Iran …
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One year ago the United States, in conjunction with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and our local Iraqi and Syrian partners, launched an operation that took out Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This followed the destruction of ISIS’s fraudulent territorial “caliphate” and was another major victory …
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Instead of using its natural resource wealth to improve living conditions for the Iranian people, the Iranian regime prefers to pawn its oil to fund the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and support its terror proxies as they sow chaos and destruction around the Middle East. We will not let that happen. Today, pursuant …
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President Donald J. Trump, Sudanese Chairman of the Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke today to discuss Sudan’s historic progress towards democracy and opportunities to advance peace in the region. After decades of living under a brutal dictatorship, the people of Sudan are finally …
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The United States will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections. The whole of the U.S. government is using all the tools at our disposal to target those who attempt to interfere in our democratic process. Today’s action sanctions five Iranian entities pursuant to Executive Order 13848 for their efforts to spread disinformation and undermine …
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For many years, the Iranian regime and its primary tool of regional destabilization, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), have exploited Iraq to advance their own interests at the expense of the Iraqi people. The IRGC-QF’s activities in Iraq continue to undermine Iraqi security, sovereignty, and prosperity. Today, the United States is taking another …
Read More» The international community has long recognized that the Iranian regime uses the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) to transport proliferation-sensitive items intended for Iran’s ballistic missile and military programs. One of the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1929 now in effect due to the snapback of UN sanctions mandates vigilance when doing …
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On September 19, virtually all UN sanctions on Iran returned, including re-imposition of the UN arms embargo. Accordingly, the export of certain conventional arms to Iran is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 and the procurement of any arms or related materiel from Iran is a violation of UNSCR 1747. The United …
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Today, the United States is identifying the Iranian financial sector as subject to the terms of Executive Order (E.O.) 13902 and sanctioning 18 major Iranian banks, further depriving the Islamic Republic of Iran of funds to carry out its support for terrorist activities and nuclear extortion that threatens the world. These sanctions will take effect …
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The Iranian regime must respect the human rights of the Iranian people. Despite its obligations and commitments, the regime continues to subvert its justice system to fuel fear and repression. The United States is committed to holding accountable those who are denying freedom and justice to the people of Iran, and today we are taking …
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Today, I am taking new actions to restrict Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, and conventional weapons pursuits. My Administration will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, nor will we allow Iran to endanger the rest of the world with a fresh supply of ballistic missiles and conventional arms. To ensure this cannot happen, I …
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The Trump Administration has made clear that the United States will do whatever it takes to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and anti-Semitism, from spreading death and mayhem throughout the Middle East and the world. Rather than wait for the day that Iran threatens the world with …
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The Trump Administration has always understood that the greatest threat to peace in the Middle East comes from Islamic Republic of Iran, whose violent efforts to spread revolution have killed thousands and upended the lives of millions of innocent people. History shows appeasement only emboldens such regimes. Thus today, the United States welcomes the return …
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The Iranian regime is one of the world’s leading threats to cybersecurity and human rights online. Today, the United States is sanctioning the Iranian cyber threat group Advanced Persistent Threat 39 (APT39), 46 associated individuals, and a front company, Rana Intelligence Company (Rana) pursuant to Executive Order 13553. Together, these groups and individuals targeted at least 15 countries …
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“No policy,” said Charles de Gaulle, “is worth anything outside of reality. That maxim guides the United States’ policy regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. We recognize the regime for what it is: the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and the primary source of instability in the Middle East. I believe our friends in …
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Today, the Department of State imposed sanctions on five entities, under section 3(a)(ii) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. The Department of State also imposed sanctions, under section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846, on three …
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Even as the pandemic has taken a major hit on Iran, Tehran refuses to let up on its virulent hatred of Jews and targeting of Israel. Which is why the Trump administration’s pushback remains as vital as ever. When the Islamic Revolution swept Iran 41 years ago, an ideology driven by rabid anti-Semitism erased a …
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Friday, August 21 marks the annual Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. To both remember and honor these victims, today the U.S. Department of State is announcing visa restrictions on 14 Iranian individuals for their involvement in gross violations of human rights on behalf of the Iranian regime, the world’s leading state …
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Good afternoon, everyone. Just a few minutes ago, I delivered letters to both the UN Secretary-General Guterres and to the president of the Security Council. I notified them that the United States is initiating the restoration of virtually all UN sanctions on Iran lifted under UN Security Council Resolution 2231. This process will lead to …
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Because of the flawed nuclear deal negotiated by the prior administration, the arms embargo on the world’s most heinous terrorist regime is scheduled to expire on October 18th, a mere four months from now. This Chamber has a choice: Stand for international peace and security, as the U.N.’s founders intended, or let the arms embargo …
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The Iranian regime uses revenue it receives from the export of metals to provide funding for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, and other malign activities in the Middle East, and beyond. Today, as part of our maximum pressure campaign, the United States designated eight entities connected with Iran’s metal industry …
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Today, the United States, under Executive Order 13599, is sanctioning five Iranian ship captains, who delivered approximately 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and related components to Venezuela in support of the illegitimate Maduro regime. These individuals who headed five Iranian-flagged tankers – CLAVEL, PETUNIA, FORTUNE, FOREST, and FAXON – to Venezuela’s shores are now added to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and …
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More than six years ago, the brave photographer known as Caesar shocked the world by smuggling out of Syria the photographic proof that the Assad regime was torturing and executing many thousands of Syrians in the regime’s prisons. This act of bravery is the inspiration behind the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (the Caesar Act), signed …
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Signatories to this statement reiterate our deep concern regarding Beijing’s decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of freedom. The international community has a significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by the …
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Overview Since coming to power in 1979, the Iranian regime has been implicated in assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more than 40 countries. Senior Iranian officials have declared that Iran follows and constantly surveils Iranian dissidents in other countries to “crack down on them” and “strike decisive blows.” Iran’s global campaign of terror …
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As the US special representative for Iran, I receive complaints regularly about Voice of America’s Persian service. Iranian viewers say its American taxpayer-funded programming often sounds more like the “Voice of the mullahs” than the “Voice of America.” VOA Persian needs to do a better job of countering Iranian disinformation and propaganda. This is a …
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Today, I am announcing the end of the sanctions waiver covering all remaining JCPOA-originating nuclear projects in Iran – the Arak reactor conversion, the provision of enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor, and the export of Iran’s spent and scrap research reactor fuel. The sanctions waiver covering these activities will end following a final, …
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The United States believes that all humans are deserving of dignity, respect, and equality before the law. The Iranian regime clearly disagrees, and their discrimination against the LGBTQ community is another injustice against the Iranian people. Iran’s 2013 Islamic Penal Code continues to penalize consensual same-sex relations between adults by severe and inhumane punishments, including the death …
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Today, the United States is imposing financial sanctions and visa restrictions on Iranian individuals and entities under human rights-related authorities. These actions with respect to 12 Iranian individuals and entities by the Department of State and Department of the Treasury send a message of support to the Iranian people that we will continue to amplify …
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The People’s Republic of China is one of the rapidly dwindling number of countries that welcomes Mahan Air, which ferries weapons and terrorists around the world for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such cooperation has consequences. Today, the United States designated Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited, a PRC-based company that provides general sales agent services for …
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As we work together to defeat the coronavirus at home, the United States stands with our global partners in their time of need, as we always have. A healthier world means a healthier United States. For more than a half century, the United States has been the largest contributor to global health security and humanitarian …
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For years, Iran has claimed its space program is purely peaceful and civilian. The Trump Administration has never believed this fiction. This week’s launch of a military satellite by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, makes clear what we have said all along: Iran’s space program is neither peaceful nor entirely civilian. In February 2020, the head …
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Iran has long used its naval forces to terrorize the international maritime community – this is not a new phenomenon. In 2015, during negotiations of the Iran Deal and after its adoption, the U.S. Navy recorded 22 incidents of unsafe and unprofessional conduct by the IRGC Navy (IRGCN), many that risked collision. An additional 36 …
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Chinese authorities routinely prohibit Muslims from practicing their faith — from forbidding fasting during the holy month of Ramadan to punishing halal practices. Regulations in Xinjiang in northwest China specifically forbid men from growing “abnormal beards” and women from wearing veils that cover their faces. Prayer mats and copies of the Quran are regularly confiscated …
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Iranian academics are faulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for stifling information on COVID-19 and declining foreign aid, allowing the country’s outbreak to grow into “a national disaster.” In the March 29 letter, reported by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), 100 academics call Khamenei “the Number 1 culprit” for COVID-19 sweeping the nation unchecked. Now one Iranian is …
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America gives more medical and humanitarian assistance than any other country. At home, America is meeting the increased medical needs of its citizens in a unique way across with both government and private industry. Two U.S. Navy hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, are now taking on civilian patients while docked at the …
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Iran’s leaders have repeatedly refused outside offers to help everyday Iranians who are suffering from COVID-19, worsening the regime’s failed response to the outbreak. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the aid group also called Doctors Without Borders, said March 24 that Iran’s regime rejected previously agreed upon plans for a 50-bed treatment unit for COVID-19 patients …
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The U.S. government has rapidly mobilized unprecedented resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, both at home and abroad. The United States has made available nearly $274 million in emergency health and humanitarian funding. Along with the U.S. private sector, the American people continue to lead in responding to this pandemic. The $274 million will …
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Iran recently observed the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The lack of enthusiasm among ordinary Iranians is no mystery. The revolution has failed to deliver the just and prosperous society that Ruhollah Khomeini promised the Iranian people in 1979. Today, the revolution belongs primarily to the regime’s hypocritical elite. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Setad hedge fund, worth tens of …
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U.S. innovators are rushing to combat the new coronavirus, with vaccines already in development and new treatment options being tested in the United States and Asia. The rapid response received a boost this month as President Trump signed into law $8.3 billion in federal funds to fight COVID-19. The funding is helping federal agencies and their private-sector partners to quickly …
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Iran needs to be essentially blacklisted from participating in the international financial system after the regime’s refusal to implement restrictions against terrorist financing, an international watchdog group said February 21. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had given Iran’s regime a February deadline to enact restrictions against money laundering and terrorist financing. But the …
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“I also want to call attention to the Iranian regime’s misinformation campaign surrounding the origination of the Wuhan virus. Instead of focusing on the needs of the Iranian people and accepting genuine offers of support, senior Iranians lied about the Wuhan virus outbreak for weeks.” The Iranian leadership is trying to avoid responsibility for their …
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This past week, the IAEA issued two reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran is hiding nuclear material – its nuclear material and nuclear activities. Iran is party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran’s safeguard agreements under that treaty require it to declare nuclear material to the IAEA and provide the IAEA inspectors with full …
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The Iranian regime has been jamming radio and TV signals across Iran since 2003. The scale to which the regime conducts jamming is so intense that even the Health Ministry and parliament officials openly confessed about its significant health risks. “Side effects of satellite jamming signals could lead to miscarriage and birth defects” said the Health …
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Today, the United States designated five members of Iran’s Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee who have played a role in denying Iranians their right to free and fair elections. This includes Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, who has in the past praised the killing of political dissidents and previously called …
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The Iranian regime has yet again taken measures to damage Iran’s economy further. Iran has only a few days left to comply with the commitments it made to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Otherwise, FATF’s countermeasures could be re-imposed on Iran. Based in Paris, France, FATF is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989 on …
Read More» The United States calls on Iran to fulfill its commitments to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and adhere to the FATF’s anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism standards that protect the international financial system from illicit finance. Iran should be treated like any other nation. Nearly every country in the world has …
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The Iranian regime uses satellite launches to develop its ballistic missile capabilities. The technologies used to launch satellites into orbit are virtually identical and interchangeable with those used in longer range systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each launch, whether failed or not, further allows Iran to gain experience using such technologies that could benefit its …
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Elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran have become such a mockery that even Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is decrying blatant election-rigging in upcoming Iranian elections. The regime’s Guardian Council, an unelected supervisory board, recently disqualified more than half of the 14,000 candidates vying for seats in Iran’s February 21 parliamentary elections. “These elections are …
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One in 4 of Iran’s most educated citizens leave their country when given the opportunity. They leave in search of greater social and religious freedoms and for better employment opportunities. “People are selling their computers, rugs, phones and jewelry to collect money” to leave the country, a travel agent in Tehran told the Wall Street …
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Iranian authorities arrested and imprisoned at least 1.7 million of their own people in the Tehran area over the past four decades, and many were executed, a 2019 report says. Among them: more than 5,700 members of the Baha’i religious minority and at least 860 journalists and citizen-journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders. The …
Read More» دهم ژانویه 2020 بیانیه ی وزیر امور خارجه ی ایالات متحده امروز، ایالات متحده در واکنش به حملات ایران به نیروها و منافع آمریکایی، و با هدف محروم کردن رژیم ایران از درآمد لازم برای اجرای سیاست خارجی خشونت آمیز خود، اقدام هایی انجام می دهد. ما همچنان افراد حقیقی و حقوقی را که در …
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