The United States has lauded the punitive measures by European countries against officials of the Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guards. 

In response to our correspondent, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Wednesday, “We applaud our European allies' latest designations of IRGC officials,” noting that “Our European allies recognize the threat and challenges posed by the IRGC and Iran.”

“We've enjoyed exceptionally close cooperation and coordination with Europe on confronting these challenges,” he added. 

About the possibility of resuming talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, he said that “The JCPOA has not been on the agenda for months. Iran consistently turned its back on chances to pursue mutual return to JCPOA.”

He noted that “As a result of what Iran is doing around the world and to its own people, we've focused on sending clear messages to Iran.” 

“Stop killing your people, stop sending drones to Russia,” Price stated addressing the Islamic Republic. 

The West on Monday stepped up pressure on Iran over its crackdown on protests and arms supply for the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the US, European Union and United Kingdom imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran.

“Concurrently with the United Kingdom and the European Union, the United States today is taking further action to press for accountability for the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses by imposing sanctions on 10 additional Iranian individuals and one additional Iranian entity,” read a statement by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. 

This is the ninth round of designations targeting actors responsible for the crackdown since the nationwide protests began in September 2022.