Tehran, 09 June_The United States has activated a set of sanctions it imposed on Iran’s shipping network six months ago, in a move expected to further hamper imports of food and medical supplies into Iran at a time when the country is fighting to contain a deadly coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement released on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company, “have come into effect,” 180 days after the restrictive measures were first announced under the claim of Tehran’s support for proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Pompeo threatened sanctions against trade and maritime industries as well as governments if they engaged in business with the aforementioned companies.
He noted that the anti-Iran bans took effect following what he called a “generous delay” to allow humanitarian supplies companies time to find alternative methods for their shipments to Iran.“Now that this generous delay has come to an end, those in the commercial and maritime industries doing business with Iran must use carriers or shipping methods other than IRISL or E-Sail; any government, entity, or individual that chooses to continue doing business with IRISL and/or E-Sail now risks exposure to US WMD sanctions,” Pompeo said.
He also claimed that IRISL had repeatedly transported data-x-items related to Iran’s ballistic missile and military programs and was also a longstanding carrier of other proliferation-sensitive items.
Last December, Pompeo alleged that IRISL was “the shipping line of choice for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents,” while E-Sail “knowingly transports illicit materials from Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization.”
Elsewhere in his statement, the top US diplomat asked governments around the world to investigate activity by the shipping entities in their ports and seas, encouraging them to take appropriate action to stop the activity.
“These designations serve as a clear warning that anyone doing business with or otherwise supporting IRISL or E-Sail are exposed to potential sanctions,” he added.