WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against the captains of the five ships that U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) used to deliver Iranian gasoline to the illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela. These captains, who led five Iranian flagged tankers — CLAVEL, PETUNIA, FORTUNE, FOREST and FAXON — delivered gasoline and gasoline components to Venezuela, and are now added to OFAC’s Specially Designated National and Blocked Persons List (SDN List).
“The Treasury Department will target anyone who supports Iranian attempts to evade United States sanctions and who further enables their destabilizing behavior around the world,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The Iranian regime’s support to the authoritarian and corrupt regime in Venezuela is unacceptable, and the Administration will continue to use its authorities to disrupt it.”
In November 2019, the Iranian government imposed strict rationing and a 50 percent price hike on gasoline. When the Iranian people protested the abrupt overnight cuts in fuel subsidies, the regime’s security forces brutally cracked down on the demonstrators, resulting in the killing of approximately 1,500 people, including women and children.
Now, despite the government’s decision to restrict the Iranian people’s access to vital fuel, the Iranian regime has sent five tankers carrying over 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and gasoline components to Venezuela, with plans to continue gasoline sales to the brutal and corrupt Maduro regime in the months to come. While the Iranian people are forced to ration their fuel supply due to the Iranian regime’s corruption, mismanagement, and global malign activities, the regime continues to support terrorist groups and allied dictators in Syria and Venezuela with the export of this critical product.
The five Iranian captains designated today work for IRISL and NITC and, over the past month, have captained vessels identified on OFAC’s SDN List as blocked property of IRISL and NITC, and have discharged shipments of Iranian gasoline in Venezuela.
Ali Danaei Kenarsari is an employee of IRISL and the master of the CLAVEL (IMO 9820312, formerly known as HYUNDAI MIPO 2655) which is an IRISL-managed tanker that has delivered Iranian gasoline to Venezuela. Mohsen Gohardehi is the master of the PETUNIA (IMO 9820336, formerly known as HYUNDAI MIPO 2657), also an IRISL-managed tanker that has delivered Iranian gasoline to Venezuela.
Kenarsari and Gohardehi are identified as having acted for or on behalf of IRISL, pursuant to E.O. 13599.
Alireza Rahnavard is an employee of NITC and the master of the FORTUNE (IMO 9283746), a NITC-owned tanker that has delivered Iranian gasoline to Venezuela. Reza Vaziri is an employee of NITC and the master of the FOREST (IMO 9283760), a NITC-owned tanker that has delivered Iranian gasoline to Venezuela. Hamidreza Yahya Zadeh is an employee of NITC and the master of the FAXON (IMO 9283758), a NITC-owned tanker that has delivered Iranian gasoline to Venezuela.
Rahnavard, Vaziri and Yahya Zadeh have been identified as having acted for or on behalf of NITC, pursuant to E.O. 13599.
Sanctions Implications
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these targets that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons is blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the individuals identified today may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action. Furthermore, unless an exception applies, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction(s) for any of the individuals or entities designated today could be subject to U.S. sanctions.
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