The US Treasury Department dropped another hammer on Iran’s weapons supply chain, this time targeting nine individuals and entities spread across China, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Belarus. The June 10 action zeroes in on networks that have been funneling arms, including man-portable air-defense systems, to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
What exactly happened
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, known as OFAC, designated the nine parties under Executive Order 13382. That order specifically targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their support networks.
The most prominent name on the list is Yushita Shanghai International Trade Co Ltd, a Chinese firm accused of procuring MANPADS (man-portable air-defense systems) for Iran’s military. If you’re unfamiliar, MANPADS are shoulder-fired missiles designed to take down aircraft.
Two Hong Kong-based companies, AE International Trade Co Limited and Mustad Limited, were flagged as intermediaries. Their alleged role: facilitating financial transactions that kept the IRGC’s arms procurement humming along.
