The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury has designated Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology (MICT) pursuant to Executive Order 13846, for engaging in activities that prohibit, limit or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Iran. According to OFAC, MICT, through Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, has blocked access to the internet in Iran for a period of days in November 2019, as well as on several occasions in 2017 and 2018, has been involved in surveillance against opposition activists, and has generally advanced the Iranian regime’s policy of repressive internet censorship since he became Minister in 2017.
As a result of the designation, all US property belonging to Azari Jahromi is blocked, and SU persons are generally prohibited from dealing with the property or property interests of blocked or designated persons.