More Iran-related US sanctions as Tehran not ready for talks yet

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WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Thursday issued more Iran-related sanctions, targeting 13
entities based in Hong Kong, China, the United Arab Emirates and the Marshall Islands, as well as eight vessels, the US Treasury Department said.

The measures cover Greek national Antonios Margaritis and his network of companies and vessels that Treasury said was involved in transporting Iranian oil exports in violation of sanctions.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom too sanctioned an Iranian oil magnate and four companies on Thursday, saying they are part of a network that supports Tehran’s overseas activities, including “destabilisation” in Ukraine and Israel.

The sanctions include an asset freeze and travel ban on Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, and an asset freeze on companies in the shipping, petrochemical and financial sectors, the Foreign Office said.

Read more: China against European sanctions over Iran nuclear programme

MOMENT NOT ARRIVED YET

As far as the US is concerned, Treasury also designated Ares Shipping Limited in Hong Kong, Comford Management in the Marshall Islands and Hong Kong Hangshun Shipping Limited in Hong Kong.

Designated crude oil tankers include Panama-flagged vessels Adeline G and Kongm, and Lafit under the flag of Sao Tome and Principe.

The State Department separately said it imposed sanctions on two China-based operators of oil-related terminals and storage. It said they handled imports of Iranian oil aboard tankers previously targeted by US sanctions.

Iran suspended talks with Washington aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions after the US and Israel struck its nuclear sites in June. Iran denies any intent to develop atomic bombs.

Read more: Iran says no direct talks, wants accountability for US strikes

Iran’s top diplomat said on Wednesday that the moment for “effective” nuclear talks with the United States has not yet arrived, adding that Iran would not completely cut off cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

‘MULTIFACETED THREAT’

“Iran’s reliance on revenues from trading networks and connected organisations enables it to carry out its destabilising activities, including supporting proxies and partners across the region and facilitating state threats on UK soil,” Britain’s Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said.

The Iranian embassy in London said it condemned what it called Britain’s “unilateral and illegal measures” and “baseless allegations”.

Shamkhani, the son of an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could not be reached for comment.

The United States, which sanctioned Shamkhani last month, said he controls a vast network of container ships and tankers through a complex web of intermediaries that sell Iranian and Russian oil and other goods throughout the world.

Read more: Iran arrested 21,000 ‘suspects’ during 12-day war with Israel

Some of the companies sanctioned by Britain on Wednesday were cited for acting on behalf of or at the direction of Shamkhani, who is accused of aiding Iran’s overseas operations. Shamkhani was also sanctioned by the European Union in July.

British lawmakers warned last month that Iran posed a growing and multifaceted threat to Britain, and while it does not yet rival the scale of challenges posed by Russia or China, they said the government was ill prepared to confront it.

They said the Iranian threat spanned physical attacks and potential assassinations targeting dissidents and Jewish communities, as well as espionage, offensive cyber operations, and efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran has rejected these claims, calling them “unfounded, politically motivated and hostile allegations”.