Overview

Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid is the U.S.-designated head of Iran’s Cyber Police. On October 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Majid as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in materially assisting the Iranian Cyber Police.“Designating Iran’s Morality Police and Seven Officials for Human Rights Abuses in Iran,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 22, 2022, https://www.state.gov/designating-irans-morality-police-and-seven-officials-for-human-rights-abuses-in-iran.

Since at least 2019, Majid has been the head of Iran’s Cyber Police."Iran's Police To Setup Department To Combat Animal Abuse,” Radio Farda, October 21, 2019, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s-police-to-setup-department-to-combat-animal-abuse/30227272.html; Kaveh Azarhoosh, “FATAwatch//02 — Iranian Cyber Police Monitoring,” Medium, September 12, 2019, https://medium.com/filterwatch/fatawatch-02-iranian-cyber-police-monitoring-cd164988cfa3. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as the head of the Iranian Cyber Police, Majid allegedly tasks his agency with monitoring Iranian Internet users, filtering websites, and blocking content the Iranian government finds objectionable.“Treasury Sanctions Iranian Leaders Responsible for Internet Shutdown and Violent Crackdown on Peaceful Protests,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 6, 2022, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0994.

The Cyber Police are one component of Iran’s extensive security apparatus, which among others, includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij. The IRGC is an Iranian government agency tasked with defending the regime against internal and external threats, of which the Basij is a paramilitary organization charged with channeling popular support for the Iranian regime.“Iran-related Designations and Designation Update; Non-Proliferation Designation Update; Burma-related Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 6, 2022, https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20221006. In September 2022, the IRGC and the Basij joined in violently suppressing protests that erupted after the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in custody after being detained by Tehran’s morality police, the Guidance Patrol, earlier in the month. The Guidance Patrol sent Amini to a detention center to undergo re-education when they claimed she was not wearing a hijab properly. She died three days later. In response, protests erupted across the country against Iran’s theocratic rule. On September 22, the IRGC issued a statement of support for Iranian police in combating the protests and accused protesters of sedition. At least 201 protesters were killed since the protests began after confrontations with Iranian security forces, but information has been limited due to disrupted and limited Internet access throughout the country.Arsalan Shahla, “Iran Launches Artillery Against Militants in Northern Iraq,” September 24, 2022, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-24/iran-launches-artillery-against-militants-in-northern-iraq; “Exclusive: IRGC Commanders’ Families Placed in Tehran ‘Safe House,” Iran Wire, September 26, 2022, https://iranwire.com/en/iran/107958-exclusive-irgc-commanders-families-placed-in-tehran-safe-house; “IRGC will not hesitate to target origin of any anti-Iran operation wherever it may be: General,” Press TV, September 27, 2022, https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/09/27/689915/IRGC-will-not-hesitate-target-origin-any-anti-Iran-operation-General; Caitlin McFall, “The Guardian Patrol sent Amini to a detention center to undergo re-education when they claimed she was not wearing a hijab properly. She died three days later.,” Fox News, September 24, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/world/protestors-clash-revolutionary-guard-northern-iran-torch-irgc-base-reports; “Iran’s Guards Break Their Silence, Warn Protesters,” Iran International, September 22, 2022, https://www.iranintl.com/en/202209229946; Parisa Hafezi, “Iranians keep up protests over Mahsa Amini death despite mounting fatalities,” Reuters, October 12, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranians-keep-up-protests-over-mahsa-amini-death-despite-growing-death-toll-2022-10-12.

On October 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Majid for materially assisting or providing support to the Iranian Cyber Police.“Iran-related Designations and Designation Update; Non-Proliferation Designation Update; Burma-related Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 6, 2022, https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20221006.