OFAC was busy Friday…

Treasury has been pounding the table every time it ratchets up the pressure on Iran, and did so again with yet another press release on Friday.

The changes were multi-pronged, as noted in the lead paragraphs in Treasury's press release:

WASHINGTON –

As part of its ongoing efforts to intensify sanctions pressure on Iran, today the Department of the Treasury took a series of related actions to disrupt efforts to evade sanctions on the Iranian regime.

The Treasury Department today sanctioned a company that has aided Iran’s efforts to evade sanctions by attempting to conceal oil transactions with the Government of Iran and an aircraft procurement network supporting Iran’s airlines that previously have been sanctioned for involvement in Iran’s support for terrorism around the world. These actions, which were taken under a number of different authorities, apply sanctions to companies operating in several countries that are aiding Iran’s support for terrorism and the violence being perpetrated by the Assad regime in Syria, as well as schemes that seek to bolster Iran’s dwindling oil sales by deceptively introducing its crude onto the international market.

Additionally, the Treasury Department, acting in concert with the Department of State, took action today to target Iran’s petrochemical industry. As Iran’s oil revenues continue to fall due to international sanctions, the Iranian government has increasingly turned to other industries to make up for lost profits. One of these sectors is the petrochemical industry, which is now the second largest source of revenue for the Iranian Government. The Administration is taking action today to target this revenue stream by both designating companies involved in transactions with the sector and identifying several petrochemical companies as subject to sanctions because they are controlled by the Iranian government.

What's fascinating here is the ongoing game of cat and mouse – OFAC tightens sanctions, Iran finds ways of evading them so OFAC shuts off the new spigot of revenue. Contrast that response to sanctions to the recent changes in behavior in Myanmar & Zimbabwe. Is that due to the relative size of the countries – or due to the fact that Iran still has major allies in Russia (and China to a lesser extent), or due to the leverage they believe their natural energy resources affords them?

Regardless of the reasons, here are the relevant individual listings from the OFAC notice:

ARABNEJAD, Hamid; DOB 16 Apr 1961; alt. DOB 03 May 1956; nationality Iran; Passport E1929795 (Iran) expires 25 May 2010; alt. Passport V08716254 (Iran) expires 15 Jul 2011; alt. Passport V11630399 (Iran) expires 20 Jun 2012; alt. Passport U8356901 (Iran) expires 09 May 2011; alt. Passport H10395121 (Iran) expires 18 Jan 2012; alt. Passport K11946257 (Iran) expires 27 Oct 2012; alt. Passport X13567677 (Iran) expires 02 Jul 2013; alt. Passport D14818825 (Iran) expires 16 Mar 2014; alt. Passport F16438158 (Iran) expires 18 Nov 2014; alt. Passport R19234531 (Iran) expires 02 Nov 2015; alt. Passport L95280222 (Iran) expires 23 Jul 2016; alt. Passport L95273714 (Iran) expires 22 Aug 2016; alt. Passport P95418009 (Iran) expires 27 Apr 2017 (individual) [SDGT] [IFSR].

KIM, Lidia (a.k.a. KIM, Lidia Egorovna; a.k.a. KIM, Lidiia; a.k.a. KIM, Lidiya); DOB 23 Mar 1955; citizen Kyrgyzstan; Passport 02NO133036 (Russia); alt. Passport AN1912357 (individual) [SDGT] [IFSR].

MERHEJ, Rodrigue Elias (a.k.a. MERKHEZH, Rodrig); DOB 1970; alt. DOB 1969; alt. DOB 1971; POB Lebanon (individual) [SDGT] [IFSR].

And the relevant entities listings:

BANDAR IMAM PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY, North Kargar Street, Tehran, Iran; Mahshahr, Bandar Imam, Khuzestan Province, Iran [IRAN].

BOU ALI SINA PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY (a.k.a. BUALI SINA PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY), No. 17, 1st Floor, Daman Afshar St., Vanak Sq., Vali-e-Asr Ave, Tehran 19697, Iran; Petrochemical Special Economic Zone (PETZONE), Iran [IRAN].

FERLAND COMPANY LIMITED (a.k.a. FERLAND CO. LTD), 29 A Anna Komnini St., PO Box 2303, Nicosia, Cyprus; 5/7 Sabaneyev Most., Odessa, Ukraine [ISA] [FSE-IR].

JAM PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY, Pars Special Economic Zone, Assaluyeh, Boushehr Province, Iran [EO13622].

KYRGYZ TRANS AVIA (a.k.a. KYRGYZTRANSAVIA AIRLINES), Bulvar Erkindik 35, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; 32 Razzakova Street, Bishkek 720040, Kyrgyzstan [SDGT] [IFSR].

MOBIN PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY, South Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, Postal Box: 75391-418, Assaluyeh, Bushehr, Iran; PO Box, Mashhad, Iran [IRAN].

NIKSIMA FOOD AND BEVERAGE JLT, Dubai, United Arab Emirates [EO13622].

NOURI PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY (a.k.a. BORZUYEH PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY; a.k.a. NOURI PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEX), Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, Assaluyeh Port, Bushehr, Iran [IRAN].

PARS PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY, Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, PO Box 163-75391, Assaluyeh, Bushehr, Iran [IRAN].

PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA (a.k.a. AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA; a.k.a. AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA, PRYVATNE AT; a.k.a. BUKOVYNA AE; a.k.a. BUKOVYNA AIRLINES; a.k.a. BUKOVYNA AVIATION ENTERPRISE), Bud.30 vul.Chkalova Pershotravnevy R-N, Chernivtsi 58009, Ukraine [NPWMD] [IFSR].

SHAHID TONDGOOYAN PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY (a.k.a. SHAHID TONDGUYAN PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY), Petrochemical Special Economic Zone (PETZONE), Iran [IRAN].

SHAZAND PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY (a.k.a. AR.P.C.; a.k.a. ARAK PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY; a.k.a. SHAZAND PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION), No. 68, Taban St., Vali Asr Ave., Tehran, Iran [IRAN].

SIRJANCO TRADING L.L.C., 17th Floor, Office 1701, Al Moosa Tower 1, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates [SDGT] [IFSR].

TABRIZ PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY, Off Km 8, Azarshahr Road, Kojuvar Road, Tabriz, Iran [IRAN].

UKRAINIAN-MEDITERRANEAN AIRLINES (a.k.a. UKRAINSKE-TSCHERMOMORSKIE AVIALINII; a.k.a. UM AIR), 7 Shulyavska Street, Kiev 03055, Ukraine; Building Negin Sai Apartment 105, Valiasr Street, Tehran, Iran; 29 Ayar Street, Julia Dumna Building, Damascus, Syria; 38 Chkalova Street, building 1, office 10, Minsk, Belarus [SDGT] [IFSR].

And let's not forget the planes – which are apparently being used to supply the al-Assad regime in Syria with weapons:

UR-BHJ; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 2088; Aircraft Manufacture Date Jul 1994; Aircraft Model MD-83; Aircraft Operator Bukovyna AE; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 53184 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-BXN; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 1405; Aircraft Manufacture Date 08 Apr 1987; Aircraft Model MD-83; Aircraft Operator Bukovyna AE; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 49569 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-CIX; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 2167; Aircraft Manufacture Date Nov 1996; Aircraft Model MD-88; Aircraft Operator Bukovyna AE; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 53546 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-CIY; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 2176; Aircraft Manufacture Date Mar 1997; Aircraft Model MD-88; Aircraft Operator Bukovyna AE; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 53547 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-CJA; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 1181; Aircraft Manufacture Date 04 Jan 1985; Aircraft Model MD-82; Aircraft Operator Bukovyna AE; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 49277 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-CJK; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 2180; Aircraft Manufacture Date Apr 1997; Aircraft Model MD-88; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 53548 (aircraft) [NPWMD] [IFSR] (Linked To: PRYVATNE AKTSIONERNE TOVARYSTVO AVIAKOMPANIYA BUKOVYNA).

UR-CJW; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 358; Aircraft Manufacture Date 12 Sep 1999; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ100; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3358 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKF; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 341; Aircraft Manufacture Date 20 Dec 1998; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ100; Aircraft Operator Mahan Air; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3341 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKG; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 362; Aircraft Manufacture Date 16 Nov 1999; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ100; Aircraft Operator Mahan Air; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3362 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKJ; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 343; Aircraft Manufacture Date 04 Sep 1999; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ100; Aircraft Operator Mahan Air; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3343 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKX; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 131; Aircraft Manufacture Date 25 May 1989; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ300; Aircraft Operator Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines; alt. Aircraft Operator Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3131 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKY; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 146; Aircraft Manufacture Date 08 Jan 1990; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ100; Aircraft Operator Mahan Air; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3146 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].

UR-CKZ; Aircraft Construction Number (also called L/N or S/N or F/N) 159; Aircraft Manufacture Date 01 Jan 1990; Aircraft Model BAe-146 Avro RJ300; Aircraft Operator Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Number (MSN) 3159 (aircraft) [SDGT] [IFSR].