WASHINGTON—The Treasury Department announced on June 20 it has sanctioned eight entities associated with allegedly acquiring sensitive machinery for Iran’s defense sector.
“We have been clear: those who enable these schemes will be held accountable.”
Unico Shipping Co. Ltd., which is based in Hong Kong, was sanctioned for allegedly carrying the machinery by way of a Panama-flagged ship called the Shun Kai Xing, which it acquired last year.
The ship was carrying the machinery for two Iran-based companies already sanctioned by the United States, Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) and Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe.
Unico allegedly “prepared to obfuscate the Iranian clients through the falsification of the shipping paperwork, with the intent to later facilitate the shipments to Bandar Abbas, Iran,” according to the Treasury Department.
Dongguan Zanyin Machinery and Equipment Co. Ltd., which is based in China, was sanctioned for allegedly shipping items for RRA.
Also sanctioned was Athena Shipping Co. Ltd. for allegedly operating and managing the Shun Kai Xing.
China-based Futech Co. Ltd, which was also sanctioned, allegedly “has previously conducted multiple direct exports of proliferation-sensitive items, such as electronic cutting machines and integrated circuit parts, to Iran-based Rayan Fan Kav Andish,” according to the Treasury Department. It also allegedly shipped items for Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe on the Shun Kai Xing.
Additionally, Singapore-based V-Shipping was sanctioned for allegedly chartering the Shun Kai Xing for the attempted shipment to Iran. The company “was directly involved in the coordination of cargo consigned to OFAC-designated entities,” according to the Treasury Department.
The company, said the department, “was aware that it was part of the charterer’s responsibility to ensure that shippers and consignees for cargo were not on sanctions lists.”
Also sanctioned was Shenzhen Xinxin Shipping Co. Ltd., which is based in China. The company was allegedly involved in coordinating cargo for V-Shipping for entities sanctioned by the United States.
Moreover, Edisa Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, which is based in Turkey, was sanctioned for having been allegedly “used to obfuscate that the cargo in one of the bills-of-lading was consigned to RRA, as part of the effort to purposely revise the bills-of-lading after the shipment was inspected,” according to the Treasury Department.
The department also sanctioned a Chinese individual, Zhang Yanbang, alleging that he was the shipmaster of the Shun Kai Xing while it sent materials to the RRA. The department said he “was aware the cargo was destined for Iran.” According to the statement, “an agent acting on behalf of Yanbang submitted falsified bills of lading that removed RRA and Iran-based Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe as the consignees of the cargo.”
This development comes amid continued conflict between Israel and Iran. The two countries have exchanged fire since June 13, when Israel first launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear program and other regime targets. Israel has taken out senior members of Iran’s military.
