US Sanctions 11 Iranians, 2 Entities for Involvement in Malicious Acts

The north side of the US Treasury Building in Washington (Reuters)
The north side of the US Treasury Building in Washington (Reuters)
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US Sanctions 11 Iranians, 2 Entities for Involvement in Malicious Acts

The north side of the US Treasury Building in Washington (Reuters)
The north side of the US Treasury Building in Washington (Reuters)

Washington- The US Department of Treasury has imposed sanctions on 11 Iranians and two entities accused of aiding Iran’s nuclear program or engaging in malicious cyber-activity.

The sanctions freeze any assets they may hold in the US and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.

The Treasury announced that the relevant parties were involved in activities in support of the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and to carry out harmful cyber-attacks against the US financial system.

Two companies based in Ukraine and two companies located in Iran also appear on the list.

The Treasury listed an Indian company, headquartered in Iran, on the sanctions’ list due to the company’s activities in providing financial and technological support as well as other forms of supports, goods and services to the IRGC in its ballistic missiles program.

In its statement, the Treasury revealed that the firm has since 2014 entered into contracts to procure and install numerous, multi-ton explosion-proof crane systems for the IRGC organization which is responsible for researching and developing ballistic missiles.

The ministry also designated Ukraine-based Khors Aircompany and Dart Airlines for aiding designated Iranian and Iraqi airlines through the provision of aircraft and services.  Both Khors Aircompany and Dart Airlines help Iran’s Caspian Air and Iraq’s Al-Naser Airlines procure US-origin aircraft, as well as crew and services.

“Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran’s provocations, including support for the IRGC-Quds Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyber-attacks meant to destabilize the US financial system,” Treasury Department Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement on Thursday.



Released Pro-Palestinian Protest Leader Sues Trump for $20 Mn

Former Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil at a "Welcome Home" rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, USA, 22 June 2025. (EPA)
Former Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil at a "Welcome Home" rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, USA, 22 June 2025. (EPA)
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Released Pro-Palestinian Protest Leader Sues Trump for $20 Mn

Former Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil at a "Welcome Home" rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, USA, 22 June 2025. (EPA)
Former Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil at a "Welcome Home" rally on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, USA, 22 June 2025. (EPA)

Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent leaders of US pro-Palestinian campus protests, sued the Trump administration Thursday for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents.

Khalil, a legal permanent resident in the United States who is married to a US citizen and has a US-born son, had been in custody following his arrest in March.

The 30-year-old was freed from a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana last month, hours after a judge ordered his release on bail.

"The administration carried out its illegal plan to arrest, detain, and deport Mr. Khalil 'in a manner calculated to terrorize him and his family,' the claim says," according to the Center for Constitutional Rights which is backing Khalil.

Khalil suffered "severe emotional distress, economic hardship (and) damage to his reputation," the claim adds.

The Columbia University graduate was a figurehead of student protests against US ally Israel's war in Gaza, and the Trump administration labeled him a national security threat.

Khalil called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability."

"Nothing can restore the 104 days stolen from me. The trauma, the separation from my wife, the birth of my first child that I was forced to miss," he said in the statement.

"There must be accountability for political retaliation and abuse of power."

Khalil has previously shared his "horrendous" experience in detention, where he "shared a dorm with over 70 men, absolutely no privacy, lights on all the time."

President Donald Trump's government has justified pushing for Khalil's deportation by saying his continued presence in the United States could carry "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences."

Khalil's detention came amid Trump's campaign against top US universities in recent months, with the president facing off against Columbia, Harvard and other schools over foreign student enrollment while cutting federal grants and threatening to strip accreditation.

Beyond his legal case, Khalil's team has expressed fear he could face threats out of detention.