Four countries announced sanctions on Iranian officials Friday to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman who died in police custody after allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women.

Amini, 22, died a year ago Saturday, after Iran’s so-called morality police detained her for improper hijab-wearing. Her death sparked months of protests that represented the biggest challenge to Iran’s clerical rulers in years.

The move also comes on what may be the eve of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran that could be a first step toward easing tensions between the longtime foes. As part of that exchange Iranians will be given access to $6 billion in funds that have been frozen in foreign accounts, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.

The end of Iran’s ‘morality police’?The truth is more thorny

The U.K.’s foreign ministry, which first announced the new punitive measures, said the sanctions “focus on senior Iranian decision makers responsible for drafting and implementing Iran’s mandatory hijab legislation.” The U.S., Canada and Australia partnered with the U.K. on these new sanctions.

‘Woman, life, liberty’:Iranians on why they’ll risk beatings and death for change

The U.K. said it was sanctioning four Iranians: Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili, minister of culture and Islamic guidance; Mohammad Hashemi, deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance; Alireza Zakani, Tehran’s mayor; and Saeed Montazer Al-Mahdi, an Iranian police spokesman.

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/09/15/mahsa-amini-hijab-death-anniversary-new-iran-sanctions/70861496007/