US sanctions Iranians, Syrians for backing violence in Iraq

Jan 9, 2008, 20:00 GMT

Washington - The US government on Wednesday enacted sanctions on an Iranian general and a Syrian television station for supporting attacks on US and Iraqi soldiers and officials.

The Treasury Department banned US citizens from business transactions with Iranian Brigadier General Ahmed Foruzandeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's al-Quds force, for allegedly leading terrorist operations against coalition and Iraqi security forces and Iraqi officials.

Any assets belonging to Foruzandeh under US jurisdiction will be frozen.

Foruzandeh was among four individuals targeted by the Treasury Department. Also listed under sanctions were Abu Mustafa al- Sheibani, an Iraqi-born Iranian citizen accused by Washington of leading a network in Iran that provides supports to Shiite militias in Iraq responsible for violent attacks.

The third was Abu Dura, an Iraqi citizen operating in Iran whose group carried out the kidnapping of as many as 80 employees from the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education in November 2006. Many of them were executed.

The fourth was an Iraqi-born Syrian citizen, Mishanb Rakin Thamin al-Jaburi, and his Syrian television station called al-Zawra, which Washington believes sends coded messages of Sunni terrorists in Iraq and is partially funded by al-Qaeda.

The Treasury Department said al-Jaburi has also provided material support to terrorists in Iraq.