Measure announced by the State Department cites internal repression and expands Treasury financial sanctions
He declared this Friday (January 30, 2026) on his official profile on X (formerly Twitter) that the Secretary of State, (Republican Party), took measures to revoke the privilege of senior Iranian officials and their families to be in the USA.
According to the note, the measure affects authorities associated with the internal repression promoted by the Iranian regime. “Those who profit from the oppression of the Iranian people are not welcome to benefit from the United States immigration system.”
The action is part of a body (Foreign Assets Control Office), a body linked to . Among the targets of the sanctions is Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, appointed by the US government as responsible for supervising the LEF (Security Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran).
Also designated by OFAC were Majid Khademi, head of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps); Ghorban Mohammad Valizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s Seyyad al-Shohada Corps in Tehran province; Hossein Zare Kamali, IRGC commander in Hamadan province; Hamid Damghani, IRGC commander in Gilan province; and Mehdi Hajian, LEF commander in Kermanshah province.
OFAC also added to the sanctions list Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani, described as a sanctions evader and financial operator of the regime. According to the agency, Zanjani worked in money laundering schemes and provided financial support to projects linked to the IRGC.
“Instead of building a prosperous Iran, the regime has chosen to waste what remains of the country’s oil revenues on developing nuclear weapons, missiles and terrorist groups around the world,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Two digital asset brokers were also sanctioned, UK-registered Zedcex Exchange Ltd. and Zedxion Exchange Ltd., suspected of processing transactions associated with entities linked to the IRGC and the Iranian financial sector.
According to the US government, the measures were adopted based on executive orders that authorize sanctions for human rights violations, terrorist activities and operations in Iran’s financial, oil and petrochemical sectors.
The US Treasury said it will continue to apply sanctions against Iranian officials who circumvent international restrictions.
PROTESTS IN IRAN
The North American military movement takes place after , starting on December 28, 2025, motivated by the economic situation. The country led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recorded a sharp devaluation of the currency, inflation at 42.2%, according to data from December 2025, and an increase in the prices of essential goods.
More people joined the demonstrations, demanding political and judicial reforms and more freedom. The Iranian government responded by cracking down and arresting protesters.
According to the agency who listened to a member of the Iranian government, at least during the protests. The number, however, has not been officially confirmed.
Trump has sent contradictory signals about possible military intervention in the country. On January 14, 2026, of possible action after, according to him, the Ayatollah’s regime gave up executing protesters. The day before, he had stated that he would take if Iran proceeded with the sentence.
Ali Khamenei, supreme leader, commands the Iranian political system established after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Before Trump’s speech in Iowa, also on Tuesday (Jan 27), Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that he would welcome any external aggression.
“We are and continue to face a hybrid war. Following Israel’s military aggression against Iran in June, we have been facing new allegations and threats from the United States and Israel every day,” declared the spokesperson to journalists.
