Iran

U.S. Issues Fresh Sanctions Targeting Owner Of Vessels Suspected Of Loading Iranian Commodities

U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson (file photo)

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed new Iran-related counterterrorism sanctions against Oceanlink Maritime DMCC and its vessels on April 4, citing its role in shipping commodities on behalf of the Iranian military.

The department said in a statement that Oceanlink Maritime DMCC facilitated shipments of the unspecified Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also said that the vessel Hecate, which is managed by the United Arab Emirates-based company, recently loaded Iranian commodities valued at more than $100 million dollars in a ship-to-ship transfer.

The transfer occurred on March 25, OFAC said, adding that the commodities were transferred from the Dover, a previously designated vessel operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company, to the Hecate "using obfuscation techniques to conceal the locations of the vessels."

OFAC also identified 13 vessels managed by Oceanlink Maritime DMCC as blocked property. The vessels are “deeply involved in shipping Iranian commodities, including on behalf of Iran’s military,” the Treasury Department said.

The United States is using sanctions to disrupt Iran’s ability to fund its “terrorist proxy and partner groups and support Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine,” said Undersecretary of the Treasury Brian E. Nelson.

“The United States will continue to use our full range of tools to target the illicit funding streams that enable Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region and around the world,” Nelson said in the statement.

Iran has a network of proxies in the Middle East, including in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

The sanctions block all property in U.S. jurisdiction owned by the designated company. In addition, the sanctions generally prohibit all transactions by people in the United States that involve any property or interests in property of the designated company.