Iran sanctioned 51 American individuals, including current and former officials, citing their role in the January 2020 killing of Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that the announcement came “as Iran’s proxy militias continue to attack American troops in the Middle East, and as Iranian officials threaten to carry out terror operations inside the U.S. and elsewhere… Make no mistake: the U.S. will protect and defend its citizens”. “We will work with our allies and partners to deter and respond to any attacks carried out by Iran. Should Iran attack any of our nationals, including any of the 51 people named… it will face severe consequences”, Sullivan warned. The following day, IRGC Commander Hossein Salami maintained that “we have taken part of the harsh revenge [against the U.S.], and the other part still remains. Everybody is definitely aware of it. U.S. officials must bear in mind that it is impossible to take an act of aggression on a nation, and then evade the revenge”.