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                US Targets More Companies Evading Iran Sanctions

   by VOA News

   The United States has targeted more than a dozen companies and
   individuals for evading international sanctions against Iran and for
   providing support for Tehran's nuclear program.
   The U.S. Treasury and State Departments announced they are freezing
   assets and banning transactions of the entities they say are involved
   in proliferating material used for weapons of mass destruction and who
   are attempting to evade sanctions.
   Officials said Thursday the new targets include shipping firms and
   individuals based in Singapore, the Philippines and Ukraine [Mid Oil
   Asia, Singa Tankers, Siqiriya Maritime, Ferland Company Limited and
   Vitaly Sokolenko].
   The U.S. also named five Iranian entities it said are directly engaged
   in actions contributing to Iran's ability to enrich uranium. Several
   other entities related to Iran's ballistic missile program also were
   targeted.
   The move comes as some U.S. lawmakers push to impose further sanctions
   on Iran. The Obama administration has so far persuaded them to hold
   off, saying further action could harm ongoing talks with Iran.
   David Cohen, the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism
   and financial intelligence, said Thursday's action black-lists
   additional companies and people under previously-issued sanctions.
   He said the move shows the recent Geneva agreement "does not, and will
   not, interfere with our continued efforts to expose and disrupt those
   supporting Iran's nuclear program or seeking to evade our sanctions."
   It is the first such enforcement action since the United States and
   other nations reached an initial agreement with Iran in Geneva last
   month.
   Treasury's Cohen, along with State Department Under Secretary for
   Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, are set to appear later Thursday
   before a Senate hearing about the Geneva deal.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-targets-more-companies-evading-ira
   n-sanctions/1808817.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-targets-more-companies-evading-iran-sanctions/1808817.html