US imposes sanctions on alleged oil smuggler, companies linked to Iran

The US Treasury Department said on Friday it was imposing sanctions on an alleged oil smuggler and companies it said provided support to the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a statement.
 
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted Mahmood Rashid Amur Al Habsi and a network of businesses, it said.
 
“This action targets an oil broker from Oman who, in partnership with senior IRGC-QF officials, has used several companies to facilitate shipments of Iranian oil to foreign customers. Two of these companies are based in Oman and one is registered in Liberia. The broker also controls a company in Romania. The broker and those companies are being sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13224,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
 
“The IRGC-QF has been using revenue from Iranian petroleum sales to fund its malign activities.
These sales depend on foreign intermediaries to obscure the IRGC-QF’s involvement. The United State will continue to expose and disrupt those supporting such efforts,” Blinken added.