US issues sanctions aimed at Hezbollah, Iran
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The United States, in what could be seen as a show of support for the Israeli occupation, is sanctioning entities it claims support Hezbollah and Iran.
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The British frigate HMS Lancaster sails as IRGC vessels follow behind it in the Strait of Hormuz Friday, May 19, 2023. (AP)
The United States announced new sanctions against an individual, four entities, and nine vessels allegedly involved in trade benefiting Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Quds Force, the IRGC's elite unit, according to a release by the US Department of the Treasury on Wednesday.
The sanctions, implemented by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), aim to disrupt the shipment of Iranian crude oil and liquid petroleum gas to Syria and East Asia.
"Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned more than a dozen entities and vessels for their involvement in the shipment of Iranian crude oil and liquid petroleum gas to Syria and East Asia," the Treasury's statement read.
Moreover, the US treasury claimed that the trade was being carried out "on behalf" of the Quds Force and Hezbollah.
Among those sanctioned are four vessels reportedly linked to Syrian national Abdul Jalil Mallah and his brother Luay al-Mallah. The ships include the Panama-flagged Confidence P, the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged Nova, the Panama-flagged Rival, and the Iran-flagged Tiyara.
Additionally, Luay al-Mallah's Turkiye-based company, Oryx Denizcilik Limited Sirketi, was also sanctioned.
The sanctions extend to Marshall Islands-registered and China-based Star Ocean Shipmanage Ltd., which operated three Panama-flagged vessels, Eternal Success, Eternal 8, and Eternal Peace, which are accused of facilitating trade benefitting the IRGC's elite unit.
Hong Kong-based Tai Feng Hai Shipping Ltd. and its Panama-flagged vessel Feng Tai were similarly blacklisted for "transporting products owned" by the Quds Force, according to the Treasury's release.
Repeat sanctions
Similar sanctions were imposed in January, targeting numerous parties within the Axis of Resistance. OFAC announced it had imposed sanctions on several people and organizations allegedly associated with Hamas, Hezbollah, Kata'ib Hezbollah, and the Quds Force.
According to a release, the US also worked with Australian and UK authorities to target several networks of financial exchanges in the Gaza Strip that allegedly are associated with Hamas, as well as the owners and associates of these networks.
Of particular interest are financial facilitators who have been accused of being instrumental in transferring funds from the IRGC to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
The sanctions allegedly aim to "disrupt financial networks affiliated with Hamas in Gaza", including those facilitating cryptocurrency transfers, and mark a coordinated effort with the UK and Australia.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, pointed out the diverse financial mechanisms employed by Hamas, stating, "Hamas has sought to leverage a variety of financial transfer mechanisms, including the exploitation of cryptocurrency, to channel funds to support" the group’s resistance activities.
