Treasury uses sanctions to target illegal Iranian oil, gas shipments

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The Treasury Department on Thursday announced new sanctions aimed at Iranian shipments to support Yemen's Houthis and the Lebanese Hezbollah.

The Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control said it has sanctioned several companies, individuals and vessels for their effort to ship Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas to Yemen and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of Iran and its military-backed Houthi financial official.

The Treasury said revenue from Houthi financial official Sa'id al-Jamal helps fund the militant organization's targeting of ships in the Red Sea and civilian infrastructure. It is also updating its sanctions on the vessel Artura, which is connected to al-Jamal.

"Today's actions underscore our continued commitment to disrupting Iran's primary source of funding to its regional terrorist proxies like Lebanese Hezbollah and the Houthis," the Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith said in a statement.

"Our message is clear: those who seek to finance these groups' destabilizing activities will be held to account."

The Treasury also sanctioned Hong Kong-based Kai Heng Long Global Energy Limited for its role in shipping Iranian LPG worth tens of millions of dollars for Lebanese Hezbollah and identifying as blocked property four vessels it owns and controls.

Sanctions also targeted the tanker LPG OM, its owner KDSShipping Limited, the tanker Raha Gas, owned by the Arafat Shipping Company,along with its captain Arif Ibrahim Khot. The Treasury said UAE-based ONXTrading FZE was also involved in sending illegal payments to al-Jamal.

The tanker Divine Power, operated by DP Shipping Limited worked on behalf of the al-Jamal's network shipping illegal Iranian oil. Malaysian-based Transmarine Navigation SDN facilitated the transportation of Iranian commodities.

KFD General Trading LLC, also based in the UAE, has also assisted in transporting Iranian commodities illegally.

Hong Kong-based Kai Heng Long Global Energy Limited managed and operated the tanker Fengshun, which helped facilitate Hizballah shipments. The tankers Victoria, Lady Liberty and Parvati have all been connected in shipments to benefit Hizballah.