Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1397 of 15 July 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

Article 1
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
ANNEX
ANNEX
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 is amended as follows:
(1)
the following entries are added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities or bodies under heading ‘A. Natural persons’:
Names (Transliteration into Latin script)
Names
Identifying information
Reasons for listing
Date of listing
‘126.
Naji Ibrahim SHARIFI-ZINDASHTI a.k.a. KENANI, Emirhan
SERIFI ZINDASTI, Naci
SERIFI-ZINDASTI, Naci
SHARIFI ZINDASHTI, Naji
SHARIFI-ZINDASHTI, Naji
ناجی ابراهیم شریفی زیندشتی
(Persian spelling)
DOB:31.5.1974
POB: Zindasht or Orumiyeh, Iran
Nationality: Iranian
Gender: male
ID: 2753229112
Associated entity:
Zindashti Network
Naji Sharifi-Zindashti is an Iranian narcotics trafficker and organised crime boss. He is the leader of the Zindashti Network, a criminal group that has carried out numerous acts of transnational repression, including assassinations outside of Iran.
He is connected to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which is the branch of the Iranian government tasked, inter alia, with assassinating persons critical of the actions or policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or persons otherwise deemed to be opponents of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Therefore, Naji Sharifi-Zindashti is responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses outside of Iran, in particular extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings and enforced disappearance of persons.
15.7.2025
127.
Abdulvahap KOCAK
a.k.a. Abdolwahab KOCAK
Abdolvahab KUCHAK
POB: Adiyaman, Türkiye
Nationality: Turkish
Gender: male
ID: Ul2429867
Abdulvahap Kocak is officially Naji Zindashti’s gardener. He also served as an assassin who has been implicated in multiple killings ordered by Naji Zindashti and executed by the Zindashti Network.
In particular, Abdulvahap Kocak assassinated the Iranian dissident Mas’ud Molavi Vardanjani, a crime for which he was convicted in Türkiye.
Therefore, Abdulvahap Kocak is associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindashti Network that are responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings. He is also responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses outside of Iran, in particular extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings.
15.7.2025
128.
Ali ESFANJANI
علی اسفنجانی
(Persian spelling)
DOB: 15.8.1985
Nationality:
Iranian
Gender: male
ID: P30251288
As part of a plot by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and the Zindasthi Network, Ali Esfanjani befriended Iranian dissident Mas’ud Molavi Vardanjani, fed the MOIS information about him and led him to the place where he was killed by Abdulvahap Kocak.
As such, Ali Esfanjani is associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindashti Network that are responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings. He is also directly involved in an extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killing by assisting in, preparing or facilitating that killing.
15.7.2025
129.
Ali KOCAK
POB: Adiyaman Kahta,
Türkiye
Nationality: Iranian
Gender: male
ID: 20926131442
Ali Kocak is Abdulvahap Kocak’s brother and an associate of the Zindashti Network. Ali Kocak conducted surveillance on Iranian Gem TV owner, Saeed Karimian, prior to his killing and is suspected of being responsible for the killing itself.
Therefore, Ali Kocak is involved in serious human rights violations or abuses, by assisting in, preparing and facilitating extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings.
Furthermore, Ali Kocak is formally Naji Zindashti’s driver. Ali Kocak is therefore associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindasthi Network that are responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings.
15.7.2025
130.
Ekrem Abdulkerym OZTUNC a.k.a. Ekrem ÖZTUNÇ
DOB: 7.10.1984
POB: Yuksekova, Türkiye
Nationality: Turkish
Gender: male
Address: Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan, Iran
ID: U01292672
Ekrem Oztunc is a nephew of Naji Zindashti and a close Zindashti Network associate. He has played a pivotal role in relaying, through encrypted channels, the orders to kill during the Network’s assassination attempts. As such, Ekrem Oztunc is associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindashti Network, as well as responsible for planning, ordering, assisting in or facilitating extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings and enforced disappearance of persons, which constitute serious human rights violations or abuses.
15.7.2025
131.
Mohammed Reza ANSARI
Nationality: Iranian
Gender: male
Mohammed Ansari is the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Unit 840. He ordered the assassination of journalists critical of the Iranian regime, including two journalists of Iran International. Mohammed Ansari is therefore responsible for planning, assisting in, preparing and facilitating extrajudicial killings, which constitute serious human rights violations or abuses.
15.7.2025
132.
Nihat Abdul Kadir ASAN a.k.a. ASAN, Nihat
ASAN, Nihat Abdulkadir
EBRAHIMIHARKIAN, Ramin
KURD, Ibrahim
ASHAN, Nihat
BAHTIYAR
DOB: 1.10.1981 or 11.11.1981
POB: Van, Türkiye
Nationality: Iranian
Gender: male
ID: 2751062326 (Iran)
Passport: U13927927 (Türkiye)
Nihat Asan is a close Zindashti Network associate, who has played a pivotal role in logistical planning for many of the network’s assassination attempts. As such, Asan is associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindashti Network. He is also responsible for planning, ordering, assisting in or facilitating extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, which constitute serious human rights violations or abuses.
15.7.2025
133.
Reza HAMIDIRAVARI a.k.a. Reza HAMIDI RAVARI
رضا حمیدی راوری
(Persian spelling)
DOB: 31.10.1963
Nationality: Iranian
Gender: male
ID: V40150378
Reza Hamidiravari is an intelligence officer working for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS). He oversees Naji Zindashti’s MOIS-directed operations, including the killing of dissidents and critics of the Iranian regime. As such, Reza Hamidiravari is associated with Naji Zindashti and the Zindashti Network, that are responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings.
15.7.2025’
(2)
the following entry is added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies under heading ‘B. Legal persons, entities and bodies’:
Names (Transliteration into Latin script)
Names
Identifying information
Reasons for listing
Date of listing
‘37.
The Zindashti Network a.k.a. Zindashti’s criminal network
Zindashti criminal organisation
Date of registration: 18.8.1983
Principal place of activities: Iran, Türkiye, Europe
Associated individuals: Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, Reza Hamidiravari, Nihat Abdul Kadir Asan, Ekrem Abdulkerym Oztunc, Ali Esfanjani, Ali Kocak, Abdulvahap Kocak
Other associated entities: Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
The Zindashti Network is a criminal group that has carried out numerous acts of transnational repression including assassinations outside of Iran.
The Zindashti Network is led by Iranian narcotics trafficker Naji Sharifi-Zindashti and is connected to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which is the branch of the Iranian government tasked, inter alia, with kidnapping as well as assassinating persons critical of the actions or policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or persons otherwise deemed to be opponents of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Therefore, the Zindashti Network is responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses outside of Iran, in particular extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings and enforced disappearance of persons.
15.7.2025’
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1397 of 15 July 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

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