Iranian Cargo Airline, Nigerian Shipping Agent, Others Designated Terrorists
The U.S. Treasury Department designated Iranian cargo airline Yas Air, as well as Behineh Trading; three Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) officials, and one Nigerian shipping agent -- all pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for acting for or on behalf of, or providing support to, the IRGC-QF, a designated terrorist entity.
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It said the entities were involved in shipments of weapons to the Levant and Africa. Based in Tehran, Yas Air is an Iranian cargo airline that acts for or on behalf of the IRGC-QF to transport illicit cargo -- including weapons -- to Iran’s clients in the Levant. Yas Air has moved IRGC-QF personnel and weapons under the cover of humanitarian aid.
A Turkish inspection of one of the Yas Air flights bound for Syria -- which listed “auto spare parts” on its cargo manifest -- found weapons including Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns, nearly 8,000 rounds of ammunition, and an assortment of mortar shells, the Treasury notice said.
Behineh Trading, the shipping company, and the Nigerian agent were involved in a weapons shipment seized in Nigeria in late October 2010, Treasury said. It said the IRGC-QF weapons shipment -- hidden among construction materials -- contained grenades, rockets, mortars, and ammunition.