Iran Air and two Russian companies among 24 additions to BIS ‘Entity List’
The US Department of Commerce has added 24 organisations in five countries to its blacklist, including national carrier Iran Air and Russia’s Technomar and Avilon Ltd, claiming they are risks ‘to the national security and foreign policy’ of the United States.
The new additions to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry (‘BIS’) Entity List, which was updated Monday, are six entities in Iran, two in Russia, two in China, nine in Pakistan and five in the United Arab Emirates.
Iran Air landed on the blacklist for alleged cooperation with the Iranian military, according to the Federal Register, the official journal of the US government: ‘Iran Air has transported military-related equipment on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (‘IRGC’) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (‘MODAFL’).’
It claimed that the airline also had been involved in ‘facilitation of the Iranian regime’s malign activities throughout the Middle East, particularly its history of support for IRGC operations in Syria on behalf of the Syrian regime.’
The two Russian companies were blacklisted for reportedly procuring US-origin items on behalf of a Moscow company that has been on the BIS list since 2016.
Russia’s Technomar and Avilon Ltd. were ‘acting on behalf of a listed entity in circumvention of licensing requirements by procuring U.S.-origin items for Technopole Company, which was added to the Entity List on September 7, 2016,’ the Register said.
