US sanctions Russia, Iran firms for Syria oil sales

The US government says it has sanctioned Iranian and Russian companies for shipping oil to Syria which is fighting terrorist groups, mostly backed by the West and its allies in the Middle East.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement Tuesday that three Russian companies, including a subsidiary of the Ministry of Energy, an Iranian company and five individuals were being targeted.

The US accused them of “illicitly” shipping millions of barrels of oil from Iran to Syria, without saying what was illicit about it.

The sanctions, US administration officials said, were aimed at cutting off oil sales to the government of President Bashar al-Assad, leaving out citizens and not saying how choking off oil shipments would not harm ordinary people.

“Today we are acting against a complex scheme Iran and Russia have used to bolster the Assad regime and generate funds for Iranian malign activity,” Mnuchin said.

He accused Central Bank of Iran officials of exploiting the international financial system “to facilitate financial transfers supporting this oil scheme”.

According to the US Treasury statement, Iran’s central bank had used Russia-based Mir Business Bank, Global Vision Group and Promsyrioimport to pay for Iranian oil to be exported to Syria.

Russia has defended its trade with Iran and Syria as complying with United Nations. Promsyrioimport said on its website that its focus is the “implementation of state energy policy”, helping with deliveries of Iranian oil, starting last year.

SS