US lays sanctions on Iranian transport companies

Jun 23, 2011, 17:10 GMT

Washington - The US levied sanctions against two Iranian transportation companies Thursday to freeze assets used in shipping arms and military equipment, the Treasury Department said.

The US designated Tidewater Middle East Company and Iran Air in the sanctions. The sanctions are aimed at Iran's failure to comply with international demands over its nuclear programme and its support for terrorism, officials said.

Tidewater manages key Iranian ports, and its facilities were used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for illicit shipments of arms in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the Treasury Department said.

Iran Air, the country's national airline, has transported or transferred goods for both the Iranian Defense Ministry and armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the US said. Rockets or missiles have been transported on passenger aircraft, including to Syria, it said.

The US also designated an official, Behnam Shahriyari, and the Shahriyari Trading Company for alleged support of Hezbollah on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

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