New U.S. Sanctions Target Aircraft Used by Rouhani
WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -- The United States has imposed new sanctions against an airline company, which routinely transports Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said Dena Airways is being designated for sanctions based on a 2001 presidential order designed "to impede terrorist funding".
Dena Airways handles flights for the government of Iran. In November 2017, a previously U.S.-sanctioned airline, Meraj Air, transferred its "VIP flight operations" to Dena Airways, the U.S. statement said.
According to public records provided by the website AirFleets, Dena Airways operates only one aircraft, a 19-year-old Airbus A340-300.
The new sanctions could prevent the use of the Dena Airways aircraft for official travel "as ground handling companies worldwide may refuse to refuel/service the aircraft," Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of Bourse Bazaar website, wrote on social media.
He referred to the Dena Airways aircraft as Iran's own version of Air Force One, which transports the U.S. president.
There was no immediate reaction from the Iranian government on the latest sanctions.
Two Iranians linked to Dena Airways and a Turkish businesswoman named Gulnihal Yegane, are also being sanctioned, as are three aviation-related companies linked to Yegane.
Those individuals are now being designated as "global terrorists", according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Mnuchin accused the Iran and Turkey-based "facilitators" of providing services to four Iranian airlines already on the U.S. sanctions list.
Among those airlines listed are Mahan Air, Caspian Air, Meraj Air and Pouya Air.
He said the actions of those individuals on behalf of the airlines "extend a lifeline" to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
Mnuchin also warned that countries and companies around the world could risk punishment by granting landing rights and providing aviation services to those Iranian airliners.
A total of 31 aircraft affiliated with those airlines have also been added to the sanctions list.
Last week, US designated two top officials of the Central Bank of Iran as "terrorists". This week, it also announced sanctions against top officials of the IRGC.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new policy towards Iran, declaring that unless Iran complies with American demands, it will face "the strongest sanctions in history" and "unprecedented financial pressure" from Washington.
In response, Rouhani denounced the U.S. demands saying, "Who are you to decide for Iran and the world?"
Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said Friday the new U.S. sanctions against Iranian airlines will fail to hinder the country's aviation industry because Tehran is well-equipped to work around them.
"The issue of sanctions has been around for years in different forms but the aviation industry has managed it," Reza Jafarzadeh, a CAO spokesman, told Iran's state news agency IRNA.
"Ignoring the U.S. sanctions, Iran will use its past experiences to keep its aviation industry thriving," he added.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said Dena Airways is being designated for sanctions based on a 2001 presidential order designed "to impede terrorist funding".
Dena Airways handles flights for the government of Iran. In November 2017, a previously U.S.-sanctioned airline, Meraj Air, transferred its "VIP flight operations" to Dena Airways, the U.S. statement said.
According to public records provided by the website AirFleets, Dena Airways operates only one aircraft, a 19-year-old Airbus A340-300.
The new sanctions could prevent the use of the Dena Airways aircraft for official travel "as ground handling companies worldwide may refuse to refuel/service the aircraft," Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of Bourse Bazaar website, wrote on social media.
He referred to the Dena Airways aircraft as Iran's own version of Air Force One, which transports the U.S. president.
There was no immediate reaction from the Iranian government on the latest sanctions.
Two Iranians linked to Dena Airways and a Turkish businesswoman named Gulnihal Yegane, are also being sanctioned, as are three aviation-related companies linked to Yegane.
Those individuals are now being designated as "global terrorists", according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Mnuchin accused the Iran and Turkey-based "facilitators" of providing services to four Iranian airlines already on the U.S. sanctions list.
Among those airlines listed are Mahan Air, Caspian Air, Meraj Air and Pouya Air.
He said the actions of those individuals on behalf of the airlines "extend a lifeline" to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
Mnuchin also warned that countries and companies around the world could risk punishment by granting landing rights and providing aviation services to those Iranian airliners.
A total of 31 aircraft affiliated with those airlines have also been added to the sanctions list.
Last week, US designated two top officials of the Central Bank of Iran as "terrorists". This week, it also announced sanctions against top officials of the IRGC.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new policy towards Iran, declaring that unless Iran complies with American demands, it will face "the strongest sanctions in history" and "unprecedented financial pressure" from Washington.
In response, Rouhani denounced the U.S. demands saying, "Who are you to decide for Iran and the world?"
Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said Friday the new U.S. sanctions against Iranian airlines will fail to hinder the country's aviation industry because Tehran is well-equipped to work around them.
"The issue of sanctions has been around for years in different forms but the aviation industry has managed it," Reza Jafarzadeh, a CAO spokesman, told Iran's state news agency IRNA.
"Ignoring the U.S. sanctions, Iran will use its past experiences to keep its aviation industry thriving," he added.