US sanctions hit Armenian GSA for ties to Iran’s Mahan Air
The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) has targeted with sanctions an Armenian general sales agent providing services to an already sanctioned Iranian carrier, Mahan Air.
Armenia-based Flight Travel LLC was sanctioned “for acting for or on behalf of Mahan Air.” Flight Travel LLC “is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for acting for or on behalf of Mahan Air by serving as a Mahan Air GSA in Armenia,” the Treasury said.
Mahan Air banned from German airspace already
Qeshm Air is believed to have operated regular cargo flights to Damascus, delivering cargo, including weapons shipments, on behalf of the IRGC-QF. Employees of Mahan Air, which was banned from German airspace last week, fill Qeshm Air management positions, and Mahan Air provides technical and operational support for Qeshm Air, facilitating its illicit operations.
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.
In July 2018, Ofac designated a Malaysia-based Mahan Air GSA, and in September 2018, designated a Thailand-based Mahan Air GSA. (ah)
