Details of New U.S. Sanctions Against the Islamic Republic; Names of Sanctioned Individuals and Entities

The U.S. government announced a new round of sanctions against individuals and entities on Monday, September 21 (September 31 in the Iranian calendar). According to a press release issued by the U.S. State Department on Monday, these broad new sanctions will be imposed to pressure Iran’s missile, nuclear, and conventional weapons programs.

Excerpts from the press release are as follows:

All United Nations sanctions against Iran were effectively restored at 8 p.m. on September 19, Eastern Time. The United States also imposed sanctions on September 21 (September 31) in support of these UN measures, as follows:

– Iranian individuals who directly participated in Iran’s activities that resulted in the accumulation of enriched uranium beyond this country’s commitments.

– Iranian individuals subject to reinstated UN sanctions. Iranian persons who support Iran’s ballistic missile programs or are associated with Iranian organizations that play a key role in Iran-North Korea missile cooperation.

– The Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Support and Nicolás Maduro, the illegitimate dictator of Venezuela, under new and extensive conventional weapons transfer-related sanctions involving transfers to and from Iran, issued by President Trump on September 21, 2020.

Now that virtually all UN sanctions against Iran have been reinstated, relevant parties worldwide are warned that the United States will vigorously use the authorities available under UN sanctions to punish any violation of the reimposed UN sanctions against Iran and ensure that Iran does not benefit from activities that the UN deems illegal.

Measures Related to Iran’s Nuclear Activities

In recent months, Iran has not only continued nuclear blackmail by expanding its uranium enrichment program, but has also failed to fully respond to multiple separate questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding undeclared nuclear materials and activities.

Iran has fallen short of its commitments under the incomplete nuclear agreement [JCPOA], including commitments regarding uranium enrichment levels and Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles, advanced centrifuge research and development, clandestine uranium enrichment at the previously hidden Fordow nuclear facility, and heavy water stockpiles.

Such actions are unacceptable and demonstrate that Iran’s nuclear program remains an ongoing threat to global peace and security.

As a result of U.S. initiative at the United Nations, UN restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, including requiring Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities, were restored on September 19.

The U.S. Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce today took coordinated action to increase pressure on Iran’s nuclear program to counter the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran regime.

Persons and Entities Under New U.S. Sanctions:

In the latest U.S. sanctions against officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the U.S. State Department announced that officials of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, including Hamideh Qadiriyan and Ahmad Asghari Shivayee, who have joined Iran’s uranium enrichment program, have been sanctioned.

Hamideh Qadiriyan, a manager at Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, played a role in the installation and setup of advanced centrifuges and devices that increase Iran’s uranium enrichment and storage capacity.

Ahmad Asghari Shivayee, head of Iran’s centrifuge technology company, based at the Natanz enrichment complex, has played a role in assembling uranium gas centrifuges.

The U.S. Treasury Department also placed Peyman Rahimian, Behrouz Kamalvandi, the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology Research, Mosbaah Energy Company, Iran Advanced Technologies Company, Javad Karimi Sabat, and Mohammad Qanadi on the sanctions list.

Peyman Rahimian is Deputy Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization for Raw Materials and Nuclear Fuel and director of Iran’s raw materials and nuclear fuel production company. He played a role in activities related to the domestic production of fuel needed for Iran’s nuclear reactor.

Behrouz Kamalvandi is the spokesperson for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. According to the U.S. government announcement, Kamalvandi played a central role in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear blackmail, including threatening Europe that if it does not help Iran, Iran will reduce its nuclear commitments.

Mosbaah Energy Company also plays a role in Iran’s heavy water production.

Javad Karimi Sabat is a deputy at Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization who, alongside his other responsibilities, works on nuclear fuel-related research.

Mohammad Qanadi is another deputy at Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and head of the strategic planning and oversight department.

The U.S. Department of Commerce also added five Iranians to a list requiring Commerce Department authorization for sales, exports, and transfers of goods on their behalf. These individuals are Ahmad Nozad Goulik, Behnam Pouromadi, Hamid Sepahryan, Mojtaba Farhadi Ganja, and Seyed Javad Ahmadi.

Behnam Pouromadi, Hamid Sepahryan, and Mojtaba Farhadi Ganja are linked to the Jabir ibn Hayyan Laboratory and Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization laboratory, which was previously sanctioned by the UN Security Council in an earlier sanctions round. These individuals played a role in providing sensitive goods for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

Ahmad Nozad Goulik is affiliated with Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and has played roles in various projects at Iran’s nuclear sites. He and Seyed Javad Ahmadi, an employee of the Atomic Energy Organization, played a role in providing sensitive goods for this organization through other countries.

The U.S. Treasury Department has also imposed sanctions against companies and individuals associated with Iran’s missile program, including sanctions on the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, which has played a role in developing Iran’s liquid-fuel ballistic missile program.

Ahmad Ismaeilpour and Mohammad Gholami have also been added to the sanctions list. Ahmad Ismaeilpour is the head of the Shahid Haj Ali Mohaed Research Center in the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group and a senior official in Iran’s aerospace organization.

Mohammad Gholami was also a senior official at the research center known as Shahid Haj Ali Mohaed for a long time. Both played roles in the production and launch of Iran’s space launch vehicle, which was carried out with North Korean assistance.

The U.S. Treasury Department updated sanctions against the Haj Ali Mohaed Research Center, which played a key role in relations with North Korea’s missile arsenal. This department also updated sanctions against Seyed Mir Ahmad Noshin, former director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group and current director of Iran’s aerospace organization. He played a key role in negotiations with North Korea for developing Iran’s long-range missiles.

The U.S. Treasury Department also added two legal entities and three individuals to the sanctions list in connection with logistical support for the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. On this basis, the Mamoet Industrial Group and Mamoet Diesel are major producers of products with military applications and dual-use applications for Iran’s missile industries.

Mehrzad Fardous and Behzad Fardous, owners of the Mamoet Industrial Group, and Mohammad Reza Dezfoulian, who has represented Mamoet Diesel, were also added to the Treasury Department’s sanctions list.

The U.S. Secretary of State also imposed sanctions against the Islamic Republic’s programs related to conventional weapons development. On this basis, Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Support, the Organization of Defensive Industries of Iran, and Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi, the organization’s director, along with Nicolás Maduro, the illegitimate dictator of Venezuela, were sanctioned due to playing or attempting to play a role in military goods exchanges with Iran, including spare parts.

Maduro ignored UN weapons sanctions against Iran for two years. Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi, head of Iran’s Organization of Defensive Industries and Iran’s Ministry of Defense, played roles in military goods exchanges with Venezuela.

Source: Voice of America