The United States on Thursday sanctioned five United Arab Emirates-based companies that allegedly facilitate Iranian petroleum and petrochemical sales.
Petro Grand FZE, Alphabet International DMCC, Swissol Trade DMCC, Alam Althrwa General Trading LLC and Alwaneo LLC Co. allegedly collectively purchased hundreds of thousands of metric tons of petroleum products from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) in 2019, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
At least three of these companies have falsified documents to conceal the Iranian origin of these shipments, according to the department.
The Treasury Department said that Petro Grand FZE has concealed the origin of Iranian petrochemical products shipped to the UAE. Petroleum products purchased by Swissol Trade DMCC from NIOC were falsified as Iraqi-origin. In 2019, Alwaneo Trade DMCC falsified the origin of Iranian petroleum products shipped to the UAE.
“The Iranian regime uses revenues from petroleum and petrochemical sales to fund its terrorist proxies, like the IRGC-QF, instead of the health and well-being of the Iranian people,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “The Trump administration will continue to target and isolate those who support the Iranian regime, and remains committed to facilitating humanitarian trade and assistance in support of the Iranian people.”
The latest round of sanctions exemplifies the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran since withdrawing the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018, reimposing sanctions lifted under it, along with enacting new financial penalties on the regime.
