US has received nearly 20,000 messages about human rights abuses during Iran protests WASHINGTON: The United States will keep sanctioning Iranian officials responsible for human rights abuses, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. "We have received to date nearly 20,000 messages, videos, pictures, notes of the regime"s abuses ... and hope they will continue to be sent to us," he said. "We will continue to sanction Iranian officials who are responsible for these human rights abuses." Amnesty International said at least 143 people were killed during the protests, which started on Nov. 15 in response to an increase in petrol prices. Iran"s "use of lethal force against protesters" must be globally condemned, Amnesty said Monday, adding the that verified videos showed "security forces deliberately shooting unarmed protesters from a short distance". The Trump administration said Friday it had sanctioned Iran’s minister of information and telecommunications Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, for his role in the internet shutdown in the country took place during the protests.