US sanctions vessels linked to Hezbollah network

Washington has sanctioned more vessels, individuals, and maritime companies for facilitating the illicit shipment of oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to generate revenue for the Lebanon-based Hezbollah armed group.

PHOTO: A picture implying US sanctions, along with its flag on a table. Getty Images

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned two vessels as well as three Lebanese individuals and five companies that have facilitated “dozens of LPG shipments,” to the government of Syria by illicit means and channelled the profits to generate revenue for the Hezbollah militants.

“Illicit oil and LPG smuggling operations generate hundreds of millions of dollars for Hizballah [Hezbollah] and support the group’s terrorist activities,” OFAC argued.

The US department has sanctioned two Tanzania-flagged LPG tankers, ALPHA GAS and MARINA, for carrying out dozens of LPG shipments to Baniyas port in Syria for Hokoul SAL Offshore Company, which was sanctioned in 2019 for illicit trade networks.

OFAC sanctioned Lebanon-based Heavy Oil Distribution Company (HODICO) and several subsidiaries that have been involved in Hezbollah’s energy deals. It has also sanctioned Lebanese national Muhammad Ibrahim Habib al-Sayyid for facilitating deals on behalf of prominent Hezbollah officials Muhammad Qasir and Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal, “who manage a channel for transporting LPG and other oil distillates on behalf of Hizballah [Hezbollah] and directly receive payment for their sale,” it said.

Sanctions on vessels shipping Iranian arms to Russia

OFAC also sanctioned five vessels as well as ten individuals and six entities based in Iran and Russia, for delivering Iranian weapons systems like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs) to Russia to support its military operations in Ukraine.

The US department has sanctioned five Russia-flagged vessels, ETIM EMIN, which also goes by the name SAPFIR, BORIS KUSTODIEV, PORT OLYA-3, PORT OLYA-4, and KOMPOZITOR RAKHMANINOV, for regularly transiting cargo including CRBMs, between Iran and Russia via the Caspian Sea.

These vessels are owned and operated by previously sanctioned Russian marine company MG-FLOT, the treasury department said.

“Iran has opted to intensify its involvement in Russia’s illegal war, and the United States, along with our partners, will continue to stand with Ukraine,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said.

UAVs and CRBMs are drones that the Russian army has been using for its ground assault in Ukraine.

By Aparupa Mazumder

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