Trump Warns World's Civil Aviation Not to Deal With Iran

Date: 24 July 2019 - 21:12

News ID: ۶۸۵۱۴

WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -The Trump administration has warned the civil aviation industry against dealing with Iranian airlines, saying any company found to have business with them would put itself in the crosshairs of sanctions.
A formal advisory from the U.S. Treasury Department’s pro-Israeli Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued on Tuesday claimed that Iran’s commercial airliners were a key component of support for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
The advisory said entities providing services for designated Iranian airlines, including financing, reservations and ticketing as well as procurement of aircraft parts, would be at risk of enforcement actions or economic sanctions.
"The international civil aviation industry, including service providers like general sales agents, brokers, and title companies, need to be on high alert to ensure they are not complicit in Iran’s malign activities,” the treasury’s Sigal Mandelker said.
The advisory singled out Iran’s Mahan Air, blacklisted by the U.S. in 2011, alleging that the airline has a role in providing financial, material and technological support to the IRGC’s Qods Force.
"Lack of adequate compliance controls could expose those operating in the civil aviation industry to significant risks, including civil or criminal enforcement actions or economic sanctions,” Mandelker said.
Since 2018, the United States has imposed economic sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for dealing with Mahan Air. The United States also designated Qeshm Fars Air, a commercial cargo airline controlled by Mahan Air, in early 2019.
The U.S. Treasury revoked licenses for 200 passenger planes ordered by national flag carrier Iran Air from Airbus, Boeing and Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR after President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Only 16 aircraft were delivered – 13 by ATR and three by Airbus - before the licenses were withdrawn.
Sanctions are the key tool the United States uses against Iran as part of its "maximum pressure” policy and Mandelker is the one with her hand on the lever.