Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has determined that Turkey was serving as a base for Iranian weapons procurement.

The U.S. Treasury Department identified a Turkish national as helping Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to procure naval platforms.

The Turk, Ali Canko, was said to assisted Iran’s Tiva Sanat Group in procuring and reverse-engineering a fast attack craft for the IRGC Navy.

“Ali Canko has served as a financial intermediary for payments from the Tiva Sanat Group to various international suppliers,” Treasury said.

In a statement on Feb. 6, Treasury said Tiva has used front companies to acquire foreign technology and components. The statement described concerns that payment for the technology could be intercepted by U.S. authorities.

Officials said IRGC has also used front companies and intermediaries in NATO and Gulf Cooperation Council states, including the United Arab Emirates. One company that operated in both the UAE and Turkey was identified as Gulf Trading. Other sanctioned companies in the UAE were identified as Blue Sky Aviation and Avia Trust, controlled by IRGC’s Mahan Air.

The IRGC has used Avia Trust FZE as a front to procure aviation-related
items, some of which are subject to international sanctions,” Treasury said.
“In addition, the IRGC has used Avia Trust FZE as a front to assist with
avoiding customs inspections in the UAE of cargo destined for Iran, some of
which included items subject to international sanctions.”

  Ali Canko, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tiva Sanat Group, U.S. Treasury: Turk helped Iran’s IRGC reverse engineer fast attack craft