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United States Sanctions Entities Related to Iran’s Petroleum Industry
PRESS STATEMENT
MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE
OCTOBER 30, 2020
The United States will continue to prevent the Iranian regime from using the Iranian people’s natural resources to fund terror and support oppression. Yesterday, the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and Department of Justice took important actions to constrain the regime’s oil and petrochemical sales. The Justice Department announced the filing of a complaint to seek the forfeiture of two shipments of Iranian missiles the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to militant groups in Yemen, as well as the sale of approximately 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum the U.S. previously took custody of from four foreign-flagged oil tankers bound for Venezuela. These actions represent the U.S. government’s largest-ever forfeiture actions for fuel and weapons shipments from Iran.
The State Department imposed sanctions on Arya Sasol Polymer Company, Binrin Limited, Bakhtar Commercial Company, Kavian Petrochemical Company, and Strait Shipbrokers PTE. LTD, pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13846. These entities based in Iran, China, and Singapore, have knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum products from Iran. In addition, the State Department imposed sanctions on Amir Hossein Bahreini, Lin Na Wei, Murtuza Mustafamunir Basrai, Hosein Firouzi Arani, and Ramezan Oladi for being principal executive officer of the aforementioned entities, or performing similar functions and with similar authorities as a principal executive officer, for purposes of Section 5(a)(vii) of E.O.13846.
Moreover, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated eight entities related to involvement in the sale and purchase of Iranian petrochemical products brokered by Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd., a U.S-designated entity, pursuant to E.O.13846.
Instead of providing for their people, the Iranian regime’s brutal leaders continue to use Iran’s revenues to support destabilizing activities in the Middle East and support terrorism around the world. The United States will not waver in our efforts to pursue any entity or individual helping the Iranian regime evade our sanctions.
For more information about the Departments of the Treasury’s and Justice’s actions, please see Treasury’s press release and DOJ’s press release.
