September 27, 2024

United States sanctions individual, entities and vessels involved in shipment of Iranian oil and gas to Syria and East Asia

On September 25, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned nine vessels and four entities that support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (“IRGC-QF”) and Hizballah by participating in the shipment of Iranian crude oil and liquid petroleum gas to Syria and East Asia.  OFAC also designated one individual, Luay al-Mallah, for allegedly assisting his brother, Syrian magnate Abdul Jalil Mallah, with the family shipping business.  Abdul Jalil Mallah was designated by OFAC in 2021 for supporting the IRGC-QF-backed Houthi financial official Sa’id al-Jamal.  According to OFAC, four of the newly sanctioned vessels – the Nova, the Confidence P, the Rival and the Tiyara – are associated with Abdul Jalil Mallah’s fleet.

These designations were imposed pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their supporters.  As a result of these designations, all property and interests in property of the designated persons within the United States or within the possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving a designated person.  Entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

U.S. Department of Treasury Press Release