US to slap sanctions on Iran’s Revolutionary Court over execution of Navid Afkari: Reports

In an unprecedented move, the United States is reported to be planning to sanction foreign judges and courts for Human Rights violations after Iran’s Revolutionary Court system executed a 27-year-old wrestler earlier this month. As per Fox News reports, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to announce sanctions against the Iranian Court on Thursday, September 24 (local time).

Read: 'US Not In Position To Reimpose Iran Sanctions, Europe Won't Concur With Decision': Macron

'A mockery of justice': Abrams

Navid Afkari was a world-renowned wrestler who was executed for the alleged murder of a security guard during anti-governmental protests back in 2018. World leaders including US President Donald Trump had appealed to Iran for leniency and urged the Islamic Republic not to execute Afkari. The wrestler’s execution was followed by international condemnation and the European Union also condemned the execution in the ‘strongest terms’.

As per reports, US Special Representative for Iran Elliott Abrams said that the courts in Iran would not be recognised as such by the people of the United States and claimed that their primary function is to ensure the regime stays in power. The decision to sanction Iran’s courts over the execution of Afkari and other instances of abuses represent a change in US State Department policy wherein foreign judges and courts were not sanctioned for alleged human rights abuses.

Read: Iran Hangs 27-year-old Wrestler Navid Afkari Despite Trump's Appeal, Sparks Global Outrage

Tensions between the US and Iran have been high ever since the US unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal in 2018. The Trump administration has been trying to reimpose pre-deal sanctions on Iran ever since its exit from the Obama-era deal. The US even initiated ‘snapback’ procedure in a bid to reimpose sanctions on Iran but has been met with opposition from the international community.

European participants of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as ‘Iran nuclear deal’ will not cooperate with the United States over its move to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on Tuesday, September 22.

(Image Credits: AP)

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