Saudi Gazette report

WASHINGTON — The United States on Friday slapped sanctions on an Iranian-Iraqi businessman and his mining company, accusing him of being involved in smuggling arms to Yemen, the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

“The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated dual Iranian and Iraqi national Amir Dianat, a longtime associate of senior officials of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). “

“Dianat, who is also known as Ameer Abdulazeez Jaafar Almthaje, is involved in IRGC-QF efforts to generate revenue and smuggle weapons abroad. OFAC is also designating Taif Mining Services LLC, a company owned, controlled, or directed by Dianat,” the statement added.

According to the US Treasury Department statement, Dianat, an associate of IRGC-QF officials Behnam Shahriyari and Rostam Ghasemi, has supported IRGC-QF smuggling operations for several years, including efforts aimed at the shipment of weapons including missiles. The IRGC-QF has relied on Dianat to secure entry for vessels carrying IRGC-QF shipments and has used his business connections to facilitate logistics requirements. Dianat has been directly involved in IRGC-QF efforts to smuggle shipments from Iran to Yemen.

Additionally, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia filed criminal charges against Dianat and one of his business associates for violations of sanctions and money laundering laws.

The office also filed a related action alleging that $12 million is subject to forfeiture as funds involved in the crimes and as assets of a foreign terrorist organization, the Treasury Department said.

“The Iranian regime and its supporters continue to prioritize the funding of international terrorist organizations over the health and well-being of the Iranian people,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in the statement.

“The United States remains committed to working with financial institutions, non-profit organizations, and international partners to facilitate humanitarian trade and assistance to the Iranian people,” Mnuchin added.

Dianat has been involved in developing additional illicit business opportunities to generate revenue for the IRGC-QF, and in 2019, leveraged Taif Mining Services LLC, a company under his control, to procure an oil tanker.