The US imposed sanctions on a financial network allegedly linked to Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). With the decision taken by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Ali Ensari and various companies were added to the sanctions list.
According to the OFAC statement, it was claimed that Ali Ensari acted in the interests of Mojtaba Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials and served as a "financial intermediary." Ensari is alleged to have transferred funds obtained from state sources to a broad portfolio of real estate and commercial assets abroad.
The sanctions also cover Iranian exchange houses that are alleged to have conducted transactions on behalf of previously sanctioned Iranian banks and used numerous shell companies. Mohammed Derbani, Mohsen Handan, Ahmed Nevai Lavasani, and Amir Nevai, linked to the exchange company Partners Exchange, were also included in the sanctions list.
Smart Global Limited, registered in St. Kitts and Nevis, was also sanctioned for being linked to Ali Ensari.
Latest Situation in US-Iran Tensions
Tensions between the US and Iran continue despite the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 14 to end the war. The memorandum provided for a 60-day negotiation period, but after the US launched new attacks on Iranian territory on July 8, Tehran responded by targeting American military bases in neighboring countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the US violated its obligations under the memorandum, saying,
Iran kept its word; the so-called US Treasury Secretary violated Article 9 of the memorandum.
