OFAC Announces Iran-Related Sanctions on Network of China, Iran, Belgium Entities, People
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a “network of front companies and agents involved” in procuring enriched uranium for Iran’s nuclear program, Treasury said in a July 18 press release. The entities and people are based in Iran, China and Belgium and worked as a “procurement network” for Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company, which produces centrifuges in facilities belonging to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Treasury said.
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Treasury said Iran-based Bakhtar Raad Sepahan Company worked with its Belgium-based office to buy “hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth” of “Chinese-origin aluminum products” from China. The products are used in Iranian centrifuges and include items controlled by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a multinational export control regime, Treasury said. Afsaneh Karimi-Adegani, who is also being sanctioned, is an employee at the Iran-based company.
Sohayl Talebi is the managing director of TAWU BVBA, the company’s Belgium office. Talebi created the China-based Sanming Sino-Euro Import and Export Co., which “facilitated” the payment for the Chinese goods, Treasury said. Henan Jiayuan Aluminum Industry Company, based in China, sold and shipped the items to Iran, the press release said.
Sabz Co., based in Iran, bought metal materials from Chinese companies for end-use in Iran, Treasury said. Salim Borji and Mehdi Najafi, Sabz Co.’s managing director and representative, respectively, worked on the contracts. China-based Suzhou Zhongsheng Magnetic Company Limited and Suzhou A-One Special Alloy CO. also worked on contracts to sell the goods to Sabz Co., Treasury said.
Mohammad Fakhrzadeh, a director for Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company, helped coordinate the purchase of Chinese-origin aluminum products, the press release said.
“Treasury is taking action to shut down an Iranian nuclear procurement network that leverages Chinese- and Belgium-based front companies to acquire critical nuclear materials and benefit the regime’s malign ambitions. Iran cannot claim benign intent on the world stage while it purchases and stockpiles products for centrifuges,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. “The U.S. government is deeply concerned by the Iranian regime’s uranium enrichment and other provocative behaviors, and will continue to target all who provide support to Iran’s nuclear program.”