OFAC Sanctions People, Entities, Vessel Aiding Iran-Houthi Trade
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned 21 people and entities, along with one vessel, for helping to move oil, weapons and dual-use goods for the Iran-backed Houthis. The designations targeted what OFAC said are "financial conduits" between the Iranian government and the Houthis, as well as "front companies, facilitators, and operatives" in Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates that are part of the Houthis’ "vast revenue generation and smuggling networks."
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OFAC sanctioned several Iranian-owned or -affiliated companies based in Dubai, along with their owners, that it said are used by the Iranian government to ship oil to the Houthis. They include Al Sharafi Oil Companies Services, Adeema Oil FZC, lsaa Petroleum and Shipping FZC, and Janat Al Anhar General Trading LLC. The agency also targeted Yemen-based shipping facilitator Wadi Kabir Co. for Logistics Services for its role in smuggling weapons for the Houthis; the Yemen-based, Houthi-affiliated exchange house Al-Ridhwan Exchange and Transfer Co. for helping to facilitate payments for the Houthis' weapons procurement; Yemen-based airlines Barash Aviation and Sama Airline; and others.
In addition, OFAC said Albarraq Shipping Co. and its director, Ebrahim Ahmed Abdullah Al-Matari, used the vessel Albarraq Z to deliver oil products to the Ras Isa port in Yemen. The agency designated the boat's captain, Ahmad Ismail, and other people who it said have served as captains of sanctioned vessels moving goods to Yemen, including Ahmad Adriss, Ahmad Bseis, Ranveer Singh and Alexander Yurovich Pshenichnyy.