Sanctioning Iranian Officials in Connection with Human Rights Violations

The United States is today designating 12 individuals in connection with Iran’s violent and coercive tactics, both inside and outside Iran.  We are taking these actions in coordination with Australia and Canada, who are each also rolling out new sanctions this week against those responsible for human rights abuses in Iran.  Today’s actions target members […]

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Department Press Briefing – September 17, 2024

1:48 p.m. EDT MR MILLER: Good afternoon, everyone. QUESTION: Good afternoon. MR MILLER: Major apologies for being a half hour late. I can make it up for you by having nothing to start with and going straight to Matt’s questions. QUESTION: (Laughter.) Yeah — MR MILLER: I won’t — QUESTION: Not only nothing to start […]

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Department Press Briefing – September 13, 2024

1:34 p.m. EDT MR MILLER: Okay. For the run of show, we have a couple officials here: Jim O’Brien, who is the Assistant Secretary for Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; and Jamie Rubin, the Director of the Global Engagement Center, who will take questions about the announcement the Secretary just made. And then at […]

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Condemning the Arrest Warrant for Edmundo González Urrutia

The United States joins a broad range of international partners in strongly condemning the unjustified arrest warrant issued in Venezuela for Edmundo González Urrutia. González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election, and this arbitrary and politically motivated action is a low point in Nicolás Maduro’s ruthless pursuit of his political […]

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Announcement of Steps to Impose Visa Restrictions on Additional Individuals Involved in the Repression of Syrians

For many years, the Assad regime has used arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance as a tool of repression against its real and perceived critics.  Over 96,000 men, women, and children remain forcibly disappeared by the regime to this day – leaving families desperate for answers about their fates – with the regime extorting and punishing […]

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Houthi Attacks on the SOUNION Oil Tanker Threaten Becoming an Environmental Disaster

The United States is gravely concerned by the Houthis’ attacks against the oil tanker MT DELTA SOUNION.  The Houthis’ continued attacks threaten to spill a million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, an amount four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster.  While the crew has been evacuated, the Houthis appear determined to […]

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On the Adoption of the UN Convention Against Cybercrime

The United States welcomes the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime’s adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime. The agreement expands the global fight against cybercrime, which is one of the most pervasive challenges of our time, affecting communities around the world. This convention provides additional tools for countries to work together, including through law […]

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On the Dissolution of Move Forward Party in Thailand

The United States is deeply concerned by Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruling today ordering the dissolution of the Move Forward Party and the banning of 11 of its leaders from politics. This decision disenfranchises the more than 14 million Thais who voted for the Move Forward Party in the May 2023 election and raises questions about […]

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