US sanctions 2 Iranian military procurement networks

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. designated Wednesday two Iranian networks that allegedly worked to procure supplies for Iran's missile programs.

The Treasury Department sanctioned the Shariat Network and the Dehghan Network and their leadership.

Hamed Dehghan and Hadi Dehghan are critical to their eponymous network, which the Treasury alleged includes an array of front companies, including Hong Kong-based Green Industries, to evade U.S. sanctions and facilitate more than 10 millions dollars "worth of proliferation-related transactions" for persons tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Treasury said Hamed Dehghan is Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra, LLC's (PKGB) chief executive officer, which it said "played a central role in this procurement network."

Hamed and Hadi Dehghan procured more than 1 million dollars worth of military-grade electrical components for an Iranian firm that was sanctioned by the U.S. on Oct. 13, 2017, the Treasury alleged.

Shaghayegh Akhaei, PKGB's general manager and board member, and Mahdi Ebrahimzadeh, who allegedly helped procure the electronics, were also designated.

Treasury also blacklisted Asre Sanat Eshragh Company, and its owner Seyed Hossein Shariat, for allegedly procuring aluminum alloy products for various Iranian entities owned or controlled by Iran's defense ministry.

U.S. persons are now generally prohibited from conducting business with the blacklisted entities, and any assets they possess subject to U.S. jurisdiction have been frozen.

The sanctions come amid the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran.