US issues fresh sanctions on Iranian-linked groups

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. on Thursday issued sanctions against two foreign fighter militias tied to Iran and an Iranian civilian airline accused of carrying weapons to Syria.

The Treasury Department designated the two militias as the Fatemiyoun Division, which is composed of Afghan nationals, and the Zaynabiyoun Brigade, consisting of Pakistani nationals.

The U.S. says the militias are based in Syria and led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), mostly comprised of Afghan and Pakistani refugees and migrants residing in Iran.

The groups are being sanctioned because they provided material support to the IRGC, according to the Treasury Department.

"Treasury’s targeting of Iran-backed militias and other foreign proxies is part of our ongoing pressure campaign to shut down the illicit networks the regime uses to export terrorism and unrest across the globe," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The department also designated the Iranian airline Qeshm Fars Air for being owned or controlled by the already U.S.-sanctioned Iranian airline Mahan Air.

The U.S. said Qeshm Fars Air is accused of supporting IRGC proxies by transporting weapons and personnel to Syria.

The Armenian-based Flight Travel LLC was also placed under sanctions for working under Mahan Air to provide marketing and financial services to the airline.

The new batch of sanctions come after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo completed his Middle East tour, where he stressed Washington will continue to maintain pressure on Tehran even as they withdraw troops from Syria.