WASHINGTON: The United States imposed sanctions on an Iranian official yesterday for allegedly putting limits on free speech in Iran, including cutting off mobile phone communications during political demonstrations in 2012.
The US Treasury Department, which announced the sanctions, did not link the action to negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran and six world powers, including the United States, face a July 20 deadline on their talks. US and Iranian officials said last week there has been little progress made.
Yesterday, the Treasury said Washington was sanctioning Morteza Tamaddon, who it identified as the current head of the Tehran Provincial Public Security Council. Tamaddon was involved in harassing Iranian opposition politicians following the country’s 2009 election and also publicly threatened protesters in 2012, the Treasury said. It said any US assets held by Tamaddon would be frozen and Americans would be prohibited from doing business with him.
WASHINGTON: Secretary of State John Kerry has agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on its investigation into the 2012 attack on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, according to a State Department letter.
Kerry was subpoenaed to testify on May 29, but the letter said prior commitments would prevent his appearance. Kerry offered two other dates — June 12 or June 20 — for his testimony, and asked the committee to withdraw its subpoena, the letter said.
If Kerry testifies before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee, the letter said, it should remove any need for the secretary to appear before a House Select Committee that was formed recently to look into the Benghazi incident.
Four Americans, including US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed in the attacks. House Republicans have launched multiple investigations into the Obama administration’s handling of embassy security in the run-up to the attack and the steps it took in the aftermath.Reuters
