Washington has slapped sanctions on four Iranian intelligence officials that tried to kidnap a US citizen of Iranian descent who had criticized the Tehran government, the US Treasury Department said Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US "remains aware of ongoing Iranian interest in targeting other American citizens, including current and former US officials." 

The identities of the alleged victims were not initially released, but Brooklyn-based Masih Alinejad said in July that authorities had told her she was among the targeted victims. 

What are the sanctions?

The US Treasury Department blocked all the property of the four Iranians — whose whereabouts are uncertain — inside the United States and in areas under US control.

They are no longer allowed to carry out any transactions with US citizens.

Treasury officials warned that any non-US persons carrying out transactions with the four could also be sanctioned.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh slammed the new sanctions in a statement published on Saturday. 

"Washington must understand that it has no choice but to abandon its addiction to sanctions and respect Iran," Khatibzadeh said.

Another attempt 'to silence critical voices'

US prosecutors revealed in July that four members of the Iranian intelligence services tried to kidnap a New York-based reporter and human rights activist.

"The Iranian government's kidnapping plot is another example of its continued attempt to silence critical voices, wherever they may be," said Andrea Gacki, head of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. "Targeting dissidents abroad demonstrates that the government's repression extends far beyond Iran's borders."

Iran called the kidnapping plot accusation "baseless," added Gacki. 

jc, wd/fb (Reuters, dpa)