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U.S. Treasury Publishes New List of Iran Regime’s 125 Sanctioned Ships

U.S. Treasury Publishes New List of Iran Regime’s 125 Sanctioned Ships
U.S. Treasury

The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has released a new list of 125 ships and tankers linked to the Iranian regime’s shipping lines that have been subject to secondary sanctions due to their links to anti-proliferation activities. 

After publishing this list on Monday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the changes were due to the ship’s links to nuclear disarmament activities and comprehensive U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime. The sanctions are based on the Iranian regime’s anti-nuclear program law. 

In addition, during a press conference on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, while announcing the new sanctions against the regime’s Shipping Lines and its Shanghai-based subsidiary said: “Today, sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company Ltd (E-Sail) have come into effect. Six months ago, I announced that the United States would take action against these entities pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets WMD proliferators and their supporters. To allow exporters of humanitarian goods to Iran sufficient time to find alternate shipping methods, we postponed the effective date of these designations for 180 days. Now that this generous delay has come to an end, those in the commercial and maritime industries doing business with Iran must use carriers or shipping methods other than IRISL or E-Sail; any government, entity, or individual that chooses to continue doing business with IRISL and/or E-Sail now risks exposure to U.S. WMD sanctions.”

“IRISL has repeatedly transported items related to Iran’s ballistic missile and military programs and is also a longstanding carrier of other proliferation-sensitive items, including Nuclear Suppliers-Group controlled items. Despite Iran’s claims that it will never develop nuclear weapons and associated delivery systems, the Iranian regime has continued to pursue and procure proliferation-sensitive items in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The international community should take notice of Iran’s continued deception. I urge the maritime industry and governments around the world to review and heed the information in the May 14, 2020, U.S. Guidance to Address Illicit Shipping and Sanctions Evasion Practices, which addresses how Iran abuses the international shipping system to advance illicit activities.” 

“The US move comes after the Islamic Republic ignored US sanctions and sent five tankers to Venezuela,” the official IRNA news agency reported on June 08. The US Treasury Department has used “sanctions regulations on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction” and “regulations on financial sanctions against the Iranian regime” for these ships.  

The Iranian regime sent five fuel tankers to gasoline-starved Venezuela in exchange for gold. Since the regime is unable to export and sell its oil to other countries and its oil-dependent economy is in a freefall, and with oil prices down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mullahs regime is in need of this transaction with Venezuela despite its possible consequences.  

The regime needs money to fund its oppressive forces to control the restive Iranian society, as well as supporting its proxy terrorist groups to implement the mullahs’ warmongering plans. This transaction, despite its possible outcome, such as the new secondary sanctions, brought an estimated gold of $500 million in value. 

For years, Venezuela has rushed to the help of the regime, and their relationship is decades long. In a report published on March 23, 2013, the Washington Free Beacon, quoting a former U.S. official wrote: “It’s easy to say billions have been laundered through various Iranian enterprises and institutions through the Venezuelan economy.”   

The international community should increase its actions against the Iranian regime and block all the mullahs’ possible way of funding their warmongering and oppression machine.