On Oct. 27, Treasury announced sanctions on 37 front companies as well
as five Iranians. All of them were accused of aiding Iran in the
transport of military equipment and components for weapons of mass
destruction.
Officials said Iran has established front companies throughout Europe as
well as in Muslim states. They said the fronts were meant to evade
sanctions on IRISL imposed by the United Nations and United States. The
Iranian shipping line first came under sanctions in 2008.
"Following its September 2008 designation by Treasury under E.O. 13382
for its provision of logistical services to Iran's Ministry of Defense and
Armed Forces Logistics, the arm of the Iranian military that oversees its
ballistic missile program, IRISL has increasingly created and relied upon a
series of front companies and has engaged in deceptive behavior to assist
efforts to evade the impact of sanctions and increased scrutiny of its
activities," Treasury said.
Officials said Treasury has so far identified and sanctioned nearly 70
fronts for IRISL. The U.S. agency was also said to have identified more than
100 ships as belonging to IRISL or its fronts.
Thirty of the Iranian fronts were reported to be located in Germany,
including 11 companies that share the same address in Hamburg. Mohammed
Talai was identified as the manager of the 11 Hamburg-based firms and a
representative of IRISL Europe.
Six other fronts were located in Malta. Two of them — Woking Shipping
Investments and Kerman Shipping — were identified as IRISL subsidiaries.
Iran has also established at least one front in Cyprus. Treasury deemed
Lancelin Shipping an IRISL subsidiary.
"This pattern of obfuscation is leading the private sector around the
world to refuse business with Iran rather than risk becoming involved in its
nuclear and missile programs," Levey said.