US Imposes Sanctions on 4 'Al Ashtar Operatives' in Iran

The United States on March 12 imposed sanctions on four individuals in Iran for supporting the terrorist group al-Ashtar Brigades, based in Bahrain.

The sanctions were imposed in collaboration with Bahrain's government. The targeted individuals are accused of providing significant support to the al-Ashtar Brigades, including financial, material, or technological assistance. 

The US action, "taken in coordination with the Kingdom of Bahrain, underscores our collective commitment to disrupting Iran's destabilizing forces and threats, particularly those which threaten our partners in the region and around the world," said Brian E. Nelson, US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in a statement.

The statement further said that Bahrain charged many individuals in 2018 due to terrorism-related activities. Several such individuals fled Bahrain to evade prison sentences and settled in Iran, it claimed.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Al Ashtar Brigades was founded in 2013 with the mission to overthrow Bahrain's monarchy and has conducted at least 20 attacks in the country.

The United States has taken action against Iran-backed groups in the Middle East to diminish Tehran's influence and isolate its affiliates. 

The US Department of State labeled al-Ashtar Brigades a foreign terrorist organization in 2018.