New Zealand imposes travel bans on 22 Iranian security forces, morality police as protests over death of Mahsa Amini continue

The Government has imposed travel bans on 22 Iranian security officials and the regime’s morality police in response to the death of Mahsa Amini and Iran’s violent response to the protests over it.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the step after months of protests in New Zealand and calls for the Government to do more.

Ardern said the step targeted those connected to the death of Amini and the violent response to those protesting in Iran since then. She said New Zealand also stood with other countries calling for an investigation by an independent outside body, and calling for Iranian authorities to de-escalate their response and commute all death sentences.

They include members of the Morality Police, the Law Enforcement Command, and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Among them are the heads of those groups: Hossein Salami, the Commander in Chief of the IRGC; Gholam-Reza Soleimani, Commander of the Basij; Hossein Ashtari, Commander of the Police (Law Enforcement Command); and Mohammed Rostami, head of the Morality Police.

The move follows widespread demonstrations in Iran and around the world over the death of 22-year-old Amini, a woman held by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating its strictly enforced dress code. Her death also sparked sharp condemnation from the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations.

“What happened to Mahsa Amini is inexcusable. New Zealand continues to stand with the people of Iran, especially women and girls,” Ardern said.

“New Zealand will always advocate strongly for the right to peaceful protest and greater civil and political freedoms, and condemns the actions of the Iranian authorities in their brutal suppression of protesters simply advocating for basic universal rights.”

She said more people could be added to the ban in the future – those under it would not be able to enter or transit New Zealand. It follows similar steps taken by many other countries and Mahuta said more steps could follow.

It comes after months of protests here and calls for Ardern to respond more strongly to the death of Amini, who died in September after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. Others have been killed in protests since then, and death sentences imposed on some protesters.

In October, Ardern announced New Zealand would suspend its human rights dialogue with Iran and also asked officials to look at other actions it could take.

Mahuta said the Government was still looking at other steps it could take: New Zealand does not have an autonomous sanctions regime, so can only impose sanctions under a United Nations resolution.

While travel bans fall outside formal sanctions, officials had been considering whether a special Iran sanctions legislation would be required to go further, as happened with Russia.

The Government has also been looking at whether it can sanction Iran as part of the Russian sanctions act, which also covers countries which assist Russia.

While Ardern had verbally criticised Iran over the issue at the time, she admitted in October that the ability for New Zealand to act against Iran was hampered by the delicate negotiations to get influencers, Topher Richwhite and Bridget Thackwray, out of Iran. The pair had been prevented from leaving after arriving in August – which was kept secret until after they had left.

Those banned from travel to or through New Zealand are:

• Hossein Salami, Commander in Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
• Gholom-Reza Soleimani, Head of the Basij Organisation
• Mohammad Kazemi, Commander of the Intelligence Bureau, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
• Hossein Ashtari, Chief Commander of the Law Enforcement Command
• Hassan Karami, Commander of the Police Special Forces (Riot Police)
• Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi, Head of Iran’s “Morality Police”
• Hossein Rahimi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command in Tehran
• Haj Ahmed Mirzaei, Head of Iran’s “Morality Police” in Tehran
• Salar Abnoush, Deputy Commander of the Basij Resistance Force
• Qasem Rezaei, Deputy Commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command
• Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid, Head of the Iranian Cyber Police
• Abbas Abdi, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command in Divandarreh district
• Hasan Hassanzadeh, Head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran province
• Manouchehr Amanollahi, Head of the Law Enforcement Command in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province
• Maroufi Hossein, Deputy Head of Mobilisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Sistan and Baluchestan province
• Ahmad Taheri, Head of the Law Enforcement Command in Sistan and Baluchestan province
• Seyed Sadegh Hosseini, Head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Kurdistan province
• Sereng Hossein Rajabpour, Head of the Beir al-Maqdis force in Sanandaj city
• Gholamhossein Mohammadi Asl, Head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Arbabil province
• Morteza Mir Aghaei, Head of the Basij Resistence Force in Sanandaj city
• Mohammadian Abbas-Ali, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Command in Alborz province
• Mahmoud Saadati, Head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Services in Zahedan city.