U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian network supporting child soldiers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a multibillion-dollar financial network that supports an Iranian paramilitary force that recruits and trains child soldiers for the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Bonyad Taavon Basij network supports a volunteer paramilitary group, the Basij Resistance Force, which works with the IRGC, Treasury said in a statement.
"This vast network provides financial infrastructure to the Basij's efforts to recruit, train, and indoctrinate child soldiers who are coerced into combat under the IRGC's direction," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and David Alexander; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by James Dalgleish)
