Australia has announced a new round of targeted sanctions on Iranian figures and organisations, intensifying Canberra’s response to Tehran’s violent suppression of mass protests that erupted late last year.

The additional measures, unveiled by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, impose financial restrictions and travel bans on twenty individuals and three entities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in reaction to what Australian authorities describe as the regime’s “horrific use of violence” against its own citizens.

The expanded sanctions build on a broader framework of punitive actions under which Australia has now designated more than two hundred Iranian individuals and organisations, including over one hundred with direct connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Canberra formally listed the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism in November twenty-twenty-five, a designation that empowers the government to apply autonomous sanctions and signals strong disapproval of Tehran’s domestic and international conduct.

The latest measures specifically target officials and units alleged to have played a role in the suppression of protests and the erosion of fundamental rights.

The protests in Iran, which began in December twenty-twenty-five over deteriorating economic conditions and quickly evolved into nationwide demands for political reform, have been met with a deadly crackdown by security forces.

Analysts and rights-monitoring groups report widespread use of lethal force against demonstrators, mass arrests and communication blackouts.

Australian government statements emphasise that the sanctions are intended to hold accountable those deemed responsible for violence and repression, and to align Australia with international partners seeking to pressure Iran’s leadership.

The three newly sanctioned entities include specialised units within the IRGC’s command structure implicated in cyber and intelligence activities linked to domestic repression.

Foreign Minister Wong reiterated Australia’s commitment to standing with the Iranian people and to upholding human rights, framing the sanctions as part of a collective effort by like-minded nations to oppose excessive force and protect civilians.

While Tehran has historically condemned foreign sanctions as external interference, Canberra’s latest action underscores a willingness to leverage economic and diplomatic tools to respond to humanitarian crises.

The sanctions come amid broader international isolation of Iran following similar designations by other Western governments.

They reinforce Australia’s position that systemic abuses, whether through lethal force against protest movements or efforts to stifle free expression, warrant sustained pressure through coordinated punitive measures.

Australian officials say that continued sanctions will be calibrated to reflect developments on the ground and to support international norms relating to human rights and the rule of law.