US sanctions Iranian national airline, port operator

Jun 23, 2011, 18:21 GMT

Washington - The US levied sanctions against Iran's national airline and a key port operator Thursday to freeze assets used in shipping arms and military equipment, the Treasury Department said.

The new sanctions are part of a series of fresh sanctions on Iran aimed at halting its nuclear programme and its support for terrorism.

The US designated Iran Air and Tidewater Middle East Company in the sanctions because they had been used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and others in proliferation activities, senior administration officials said.

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

The sanctions would not have a significant impact on the country's oil revenue because less than 1 per cent of the country's oil exports travels through those ports, and other operators are available at those ports, a senior Treasury official told reporters.

Iran Air has transported or transferred goods for both the Iranian Defence 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.

'Iran abuses Iran Air's ability to fly around the world in order to engage in illicit activity,' an official said, noting that the move amounted to an 'abuse of the Iranian people' whose travel options may be limited by the sanctions.

Officials said they hoped other countries would also halt business with the companies.

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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