The US Department of the Treasury has added Qeshm Fars Air (Gheshm) to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.
According to an update by the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), the cargo carrier's two B747-200(FSCD) freighters - EP-FAA (msn 24576) and EP-FAB (msn 25171) - have also been added to the list.
OFAC said Qeshm Fars Air was owned by Mahan Air (W5, Tehran Mehrabad) and was used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) (Qods Force) to operate regular cargo flights to Damascus, delivering cargo, including weapons shipments, on behalf of the IRGC-QF.
"Mahan Air employees fill Qeshm Fars Air management positions, and Mahan Air provides technical and operational support for Qeshm Fars Air, facilitating the airline’s illicit operations," it said. "The delivery of lethal materiel by Qeshm Fars Air enables Iran’s military support for the Assad regime, prolonging the brutal conflict and the suffering of millions of Syrians, and has resulted in the displacement of millions across the region."
Also designated by OFAC is Flight Travel LLC, located in Yerevan, Armenia. The body said the firm had been designated for serving as a Mahan Air GSA in Armenia.
"Flight Travel LLC has refused to heed warnings about the risk of sanctions exposure due to commercial support to Mahan Air, and it is now the third company sanctioned by Treasury for acting for or on behalf of Mahan Air as a GSA in the last seven months," it said.
In July 2018, OFAC designated a Malaysia-based Mahan Air GSA, Mahan Travel and Tourism Sdn Bhd, while in September of that year, it designated a Thailand-based Mahan Air GSA, My Aviation Co. Ltd.
