Iranian shipping ‘front’ companies sanctioned

   The Treasury Department has identified 10 companies and an executive in Malta for their affiliation with the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and will now subject them to U.S. sanctions.
   The companies connected with IRISL and Irano Hind, a joint venture between IRISL and Shipping Corporation of India, include BIIS Maritime Ltd., ISIM Amin Ltd., ISIM Atr Ltd., ISIM Olive Ltd., ISIM Sat Ltd., ISIM Sea Chariot Ltd., ISIM Sea Crescent Ltd., ISIM Sinin Ltd., ISIM Taj Mahal Ltd., and ISIM Tour Ltd. Treasury also named Iranian national Jamshid Khalili, who is chief executive and managing director of Irano Hind.
    “IRISL and its subsidiaries have increasingly relied upon multiple front companies and agents to overcome the impact of U.S. and international sanctions and increased scrutiny of their behavior,” Treasury said.
    “We will continue to take action—as we are today—to expose the front companies, agents and managers working with IRISL and work to stop this illicit business,” said Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen, in a statement.
    The companies are subject to Executive Order 13382, signed by President Bush on June 29, 2005, which is aimed at freezing assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters, and isolating them financially. The order prohibits all transactions between the designees and any U.S. person, and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.