Administration targets Iranian sanctions evaders

{mosads}In addition to preventing Americans from doing business with the company, corporate officers will be prevented from obtaining American visas or loans from American financial institutions.

Additionally, the Treasury Department is targeting officials with four companies that served as intermediaries for Iranian airlines. According to the administration, aircraft leased and sold by the companies to Iranian airlines have been used to provide cargo to the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad.

Sanctions are also being levied on two oil companies that do business with Iran and eight that are controlled by the government.

The sanctions are the latest in the Obama administration’s effort to force Iran to curtail its nuclear development activity and halt its support for the Assad regime.

In a call with reporters on Friday, a senior administration official said that Iran is providing “significant amount of resources, both financial and otherwise, to the conflict within Syria and they’re doing it in a whole wide variety of methods and mechanisms.”

On Thursday, the administration issued orders to allow electronic devices into Iran to “empower” Iranian citizens and curtail censorship.

“Our decision makes clear the risks involved in helping Iran evade sanctions and reaffirms that the only relief Iran will get from sanctions must come through negotiations,” said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement.

“Iran continues to ignore its international nuclear obligations, and the result of these actions has been an unprecedented international sanctions effort aimed at convincing Iran to change its behavior.”