The Iran Central Bank subsidiary, Informatics Services Corporation (ISC), is allegedly supplying American technology and goods to Hezbollah, as well as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force.
This was announced by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control on Wednesday, Feb. 14. OFAC officials claim that ISC has been procuring goods and technology from the U.S. for Iran and its U.S.-designated central bank.
Iran Central Bank Subsidiary Allegedly Supplies American Technology to Hezbollah
The U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Department of State said that they're targeting the Iran Central Bank's ISC, which was designated by the U.S. back in September 2019, because it's funding the Middle Eastern nation's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
"The Central Bank of Iran has played a critical role in providing financial and technological support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force and Hezbollah," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said via Yahoo News.
He added that the Quds Force and Hezbollah, as well as ISC, are the ones that act as key drivers of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. Because of this, the U.S. decided to sanction four firms and three individuals.
These include the following:
- A Turkey-based affiliate firm that purchased American technologies and other goods that were allegedly supplied to Hezbollah and Quds Force.
- A UAE-stationed front company that acquired American technologies for the Central Bank of Iran.
- The front firm's chief executive officer.
- Informatics Services Corp.
What American Technology Goods Were Distributed?
According to the Voice of America's latest report, the Iran Central Bank subsidiary acquired items from the U.S. that were classified as "information security items subject to national security and anti-terrorism controls."
To ensure this wouldn't happen again, the U.S. government imposed sanctions that will block the accused individuals and firms from accessing U.S. property and bank accounts.
These sanctions will also prevent them from doing any business with Americans.
"The United States will continue to use all available means to disrupt the Iranian regime's illicit attempts to procure sensitive U.S. technology and critical inputs," promised Treasury Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson.
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