US sanctions on Indian and Turkish entities

The United States has imposed sanctions on several entities and individuals in India and Turkey for helping Iran evade sanctions on its oil exports and airlines.

The US Treasury Department said on Wednesday (November 4) that the action was taken against a "vast criminal network" run by Sunil Kumar Sharma and his wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, based in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh.

In addition, sanctions have been imposed on two other Indian nationals who are in charge of managing the couple's businesses and nine entities associated with Sharma.

The US Treasury Department claims that the couple posed as representatives of maritime authorities in various countries, including Guyana, Eswatini and Laos, and issued false flags and certificates, allowing tankers carrying Iranian oil that were subject to sanctions to continue to operate. These vessels included vessels operating for the Iranian military and its allies.

The ministry said the fraud had been going on since at least 2014. The gang used to conduct their activities using websites modeled after government ship registration websites of various countries.

Measures also against Turkish institutions

Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department has also imposed sanctions on a Turkey-based company called Fugo Ground Services.

The ministry alleged that the company had been providing various services, including ground handling, to several Iranian airlines under US sanctions. These airlines include Iran Air Tour and Saha Airlines. Despite the sanctions, the companies continued to operate flights to Turkey.

In addition, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has warned shipping companies about the risks of doing business with ships using false flags.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said Washington would continue to take action against any individual or entity that supports Tehran.

Seizure of assets under sanctions

The new sanctions will freeze the assets of the listed individuals and entities in the United States, and generally prohibit US citizens from doing business with them.

The sanctions are part of the Trump administration's "Operation Economic Outcast," which aims to cut off oil export revenues used to pay for Iran's war.

The US Treasury Department said last week that its crackdown had pushed the value of Iran's currency, the rial, to a new low and inflation in the country had reached nearly 90 percent.

The announcement of the new sanctions comes a day after Democrats took control of both houses of Congress in the US midterm elections.

 Source: Al Jazeera