Iran, IRISL slam U.S. sanctions on carrier

Iran, IRISL slam U.S. sanctions on carrier Iran's government and largest shipping line have refuted U.S. Treasury Department claims last week that the ocean carrier has helped to illegally proliferate weapons trade to the Middle East nation.
   On Sept. 10, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and 18 affiliated entities, freezing any U.S. bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to the IRISL, as well as preventing Americans from doing business with the companies.
   The U.S. government said IRISL “deliberately misled maritime authorities through the use of deception techniques ' adopted to conceal the true nature of shipments ultimately destined” for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.
   On Friday, IRISL said the sanctions were unwarranted, but that they would have little impact anyway since IRISL has no dealings with American companies and no bank accounts or assets in the United States, according to wire reports. The carrier branded the allegations “sheer lies.”
   Iran’s government said the U.S. actions would place “undue pressure on thousands of shareholders” of the carrier. Iran has a 49 percent stake in IRISL, which was formerly state-owned but now is 51 percent controlled by public shareholders. Tehran also said that U.S. officials provided no evidence to support their allegations.