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[U.S. Department of State building. (Photo = Yonhap News)]
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, ‘The U.S. Trump administration announced on the 18th local time that it would impose visa restrictions on 18 Iranian officials and telecommunications industry executives due to the suppression of freedom of expression among anti-government protesters in Iran.’,
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, ‘Following the resumption of nuclear negotiations with Iran, the U.S. has expanded its military presence in the Middle East and increased pressure with various sanctions, and this measure is also seen as an attempt to further reinforce pressure against Iran.’,
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, ‘The State Department criticized the Iranian regime for committing violence and repression against tens of thousands of peaceful protesters during anti-government protests from December last year to January this year, and announced these new sanctions.’,
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, ‘The State Department pointed out that “the Iranian regime implemented an unprecedented, nearly total nationwide internet shutdown in terms of scope and duration, which severely restricted independent documentation of abuse and disconnected Iranian citizens from the world.”‘,
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, ‘Accordingly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on 18 Iranian officials and telecommunications industry executives and their immediate family members.’,
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, ‘The sanctioned individuals are considered to have collaborated or been complicit in serious human rights violations, such as suppressing the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly of Iranian citizens.’,
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, ‘The State Department declared, “The U.S. will continue to support the freedom of expression of the Iranian people” and “we will continue to use all possible means to expose and hold accountable the human rights violations by Iranian regime officials and other individuals.”‘,
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, ‘On the 6th, after resuming nuclear negotiations after 8 months in Oman, Iran and the U.S. continued negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 17th but failed to reach a visible agreement.’,
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, ‘Both sides plan to prioritize diplomatic solutions and continue follow-up negotiations.’,
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, ‘In the midst of this, tensions are rising between the U.S. and Iran as the U.S. deploys military forces targeting Iran in the Middle East, and Iran conducts large-scale maritime exercises, including missile launches.’,
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