WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Wednesday sanctioned three people and four companies from Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey for allegedly aiding in the export of goods and technology purchased from American companies to Iran and its central bank. was imposed.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said the procurement network transferred U.S. technology for use by Iran's central bank in violation of U.S. export restrictions and sanctions.
According to the Treasury Department, some of the materials obtained by the Central Bank of Iran were items classified by the Department of Commerce as “information security items subject to national security and counterterrorism regulations.”
The sanctions package includes Informatics Services Corporation, an Iranian subsidiary of the Central Bank of Iran, which recently developed a central bank digital currency platform for the bank. A front company based in the United Arab Emirates that acquired US technology for Iran's central bank and the front company's CEO, and an affiliate company based in Turkey that made purchases that also ended up in Iran.
Brian E. Nelson, Undersecretary of the Treasury, said that “Iran's central bank has played an important role in providing financial support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the militant group Hezbollah,'' and that they have “further destabilized Middle Eastern countries.'' They are the two main actors trying to change the situation,” he added. east. “
“The United States will continue to use all means available to thwart the Iranian regime's unlawful attempts to acquire sensitive U.S. technology and critical inputs,” he said.
The sanctions cut off access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent targeted individuals and businesses from doing business with Americans.
