The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against one individual, eight entities, and one vessel for their involvement in procuring sensitive machinery for Iran’s defense industry. The vessel, SHUN KAI XING, owned by Hong Kong-based Unico Shipping Co Ltd, was transporting machinery intended for OFAC-designated Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) and Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe, a company linked to RRA executives.
This action is part of National Security Presidential Memorandum-2 aimed at preventing Iran from developing missiles and other weapons capabilities while disrupting resources available to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
"The United States remains resolved to disrupt any effort by Iran to procure the sensitive, dual-use technology, components, and machinery that underpin the regime’s ballistic missile, unmanned aerial vehicle, and asymmetric weapons programs. We have been clear: those who enable these schemes will be held accountable," stated Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. "Treasury will continue to degrade Iran’s ability to produce and proliferate these deadly weapons, which threaten regional stability and global security."
The sanctions are enacted under Executive Order 13382 targeting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery means.
Rayan Fan Kav Andish or Rayan Fan Group is highlighted as a holding company involved in high technology systems with overlapping shareholders including Mohsen Parsajam, Farshad Hakemzadeh, and Seyyed Reza Ghasemi. This group controls RRA which produces technical components for IRGC’s unmanned aerial vehicle program.
Mohsen Parsajam serves as chairman while Farshad Hakemzadeh is vice chairman of Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe. Mohammad Rezai from IRGC Aerospace Force Research is also on the board.
Several designations were made on previous dates under E.O. 13382 against individuals and entities connected with supporting IRGC activities.
China-based companies Futech Co Limited and Dongguan Zanyin Machinery provided goods transported aboard SHUN KAI XING. Other involved parties include Singapore-based V-Shipping PTE LTD as charterer and Shenzhen Xinxin Shipping Co Ltd coordinating shipments with awareness of potential sanctions risks.
Chinese national Zhang Yanbang served as shipmaster during transportation efforts involving falsified shipping documents intended to conceal Iranian consignees.
Turkey-based Edisa Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi participated in obfuscating shipment details post-inspection using revised bills-of-lading.
Sanctions implications mean blocked property or interests within U.S jurisdiction must be reported while prohibiting transactions involving blocked persons without specific OFAC authorization.
Violations could result in civil or criminal penalties; financial institutions may face exposure if engaging with designated persons or entities risking secondary sanctions imposition on foreign financial institutions conducting significant transactions with designated individuals.
OFAC emphasizes its sanctions aim not at punishment but behavioral change; processes exist for removal requests from sanction lists following legal guidelines.
