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White House Announces New Iran Asset Freeze
The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it was freezing the assets of four subsidiary companies of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a senior commander.
The move, which comes ahead of official rallies in Iran to celebrate Revolution Day on February 11, extends existing sanctions to ban any American firms or citizens from dealing with the four companies and the commander, IRGC General Rostam Qasemi, who is also in charge of the Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters.
"As the IRGC consolidates control over broad swaths of the Iranian economy, displacing ordinary Iranian businessmen in favor of a select group of insiders, it is hiding behind companies like Khatam al-Anbiya and its affiliates to maintain vital ties to the outside world," said Stuart Levey, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department.
"Today's action exposing Khatam al-Anbiya subsidiaries will help firms worldwide avoid business that ultimately benefits the IRGC and its dangerous activities."
The sanctions were issued under an Executive Order, which freezes the assets of those considered to be involved in spreading weapons of mass destruction and their supporters.
Billions of Dollars
The four companies, which are owned or controlled by Khatam al-Anbiya and mostly involved in mining and engineering projects, are: Fater Engineering Institute, Imensazen Consultant Engineers Institute, the Makin Institute and the Rahab Institute.
The statement added that the IRGC had a "growing presence" in Iran's business community and "extensive economic interests" in defense production, construction and the oil industry, "controlling billions of dollars of business."
The announcement comes amid on-going political unrest within Iran, where police said Wednesday they had arrested several people who were allegedly preparing to disrupt rallies Thursday marking the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Opposition leaders have called on supporters to take to the streets, raising the risk of renewed violence eight months after a disputed election plunged Iran into crisis.
The authorities say the pro-reform opposition will face a firm response if it tries to hijack state-sponsored celebrations of the anniversary, when they say the Iranian nation in a display of unity will "punch the faces" of its Western enemies.
The hardline leadership is also facing increased international pressure after the Islamic state announced this week an expansion of nuclear work which the West suspects is aimed at making bombs, a charge Tehran denies.
U.S. President Barack Obama said Tuesday the international community was moving "fairly quickly" toward imposing broader sanctions on Iran, a major oil producer.
A senior U.S. official said Wednesday that the U.S. hopes a United Nations debate on Iran next week will shine new light on Tehran's mistreatment of prisoners, its repression of protesters and its imprisonment of journalists and intellectuals.
John Limbert, who was among dozens of Americans held captive in Iran in 1979-1980, said he wanted to hear honest credible discussions about Iran's human rights situation even if the U.N. Human Rights Council holding the debate has a spotty record in that regard.
The four-year-old U.N. body has been criticized for failing to address some of the world's most serious rights violations, but Limbert, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Iran, said Monday's hearing offers the world a valuable forum.
People in Iran have been "gassed, arrested, beaten up and shot" since its disputed presidential election in June, Limbert told reporters.
"The U.S. and the international community can bear witness to what is going on there, and can speak a simple truth."
Sources: MSNBC
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