US Sanctions Iran’s Central Bank Governor
The United States government has placed Valiollah Seif, the Governor of Iran’s Central Bank, on its sanctions list. The US has accused Seif of collaborating with the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and transferring millions of dollars to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Reuters reported on Tuesday afternoon (May 15/Ordibehesht 25) that the US Treasury Department has added Valiollah Seif, Governor of Iran’s Central Bank, to its sanctions list against Iran.
The US Treasury Department has accused Valiollah Seif of cooperating with the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and transferring millions of dollars to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Seif’s name has been added to the secondary sanctions list of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The US Treasury Department has also added the names of two Iraqis, one Syrian, and another Iranian individual to this list due to their connections with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The United States has also sanctioned the “Al-Bilad al-Islami” bank, which is an Iraqi bank.
Steven Mnuchin, US Secretary of the Treasury, stated in a statement: “The Governor of Iran’s Central Bank, on behalf of Iran’s Quds Force and through the Iraqi Al-Bilad bank, has covertly transferred millions of dollars to support Hezbollah’s violent and radical activities.”
The US Treasury Secretary also said: “The United States will not allow Iran’s brazen abuse of the international financial system.”
Mnuchin added: “The global community should be vigilant about Iran’s deceptive efforts to provide financial support for proxy terrorism.”
Iran’s Central Bank Governor has been subject to secondary sanctions by the United States. Accordingly, compliance with these sanctions is binding for all US citizens and organizations and other countries.
Last week, the US Treasury Department also sanctioned a “currency network” belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to the department, this network has laundered and smuggled millions of dollars for the benefit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The sanctioned individuals, consisting of 6 persons and 3 Iranian companies, have been added to the US sanctions list as part of efforts to combat terrorism.
Source: DW
