US Treasury targets Iran's entities, officials

WASHINGTON - The US Treasury Department announced Tuesday it would slap fresh sanctions on an Iranian airline, a trading company and three military officials for their alleged involvement in arms exports.

The department said in a statement the sanctions were targeted at Yas Air, a Tehran-based cargo airline, and a trading company named Behineh Trading. The three Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) officials are Esmail Ghani, Sayyid Tabatabaei and Hosein Aghajani.

The department accused the airline, the trading company and the officials of being involved in shipments of weapons to the Levant, including Syria, and Africa, saying it further demonstrated "Iran's determination to evade international sanctions".

"Today's action again exposes Iran's malign influence in the Middle East, Africa and beyond," said Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen. He vowed to continue to expose officials and companies involved in such conduct and hold them accountable.

The United States and the European Union have targeted Iran's central bank and oil exports for expanded sanctions in their continued efforts to press the country to stop its uranium enrichment activities.

The United States and its Western allies suspected Iran of trying to acquire nuclear weapons through its controversial nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for civilian purposes only.

Washington has also slapped sanctions on the IRGC-QF and Law Enforcement Forces, or the country's national police, for their alleged support of the Syrian government.