On February 9, the United States sanctioned nine companies based in Iran, Singapore, and Malaysia that produced, sold, and shipped Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals. Petrochemicals, derived from oil and natural gas, are essential to manufacturing paints, plastics, solar panels, medicine, and mobile phones that facilitate modern life. The firms sold products worth hundreds of millions of dollars to buyers in Asia. “Today’s action demonstrates our continued efforts to enforce U.S. sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade and disrupt Iran’s efforts to circumvent sanctions,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
A petrochemical plant in Iran (Photo Credit: Tasnim News Agency (CC BY 4.0)
The sanctioned firms worked with Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd., which the United States designated in January 2020 for facilitating National Iranian Oil Company petroleum sales. The United States last sanctioned affiliates of the Triliance network in November 2022.
Treasury froze all assets of the companies in the United States and prohibited any transactions using dollars or the U.S. financial system. The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13846—signed by President Trump in 2018—which required the reimposition of all sanctions lifted or waived in connection with the 2015 nuclear deal. The following is a list of the named companies with statements from the State and Treasury Departments.
Amir Kabir Petrochemical Company (AKPC), an Iran-based petrochemical producer that sold products to Triliance
Simorgh Petrochemical Company, an Iran-based subsidiary of AKPC
Laleh Petrochemical Company, an Iran-based subsidiary of Marun Petrochemical Company, which was designated in June 2022 for supplying petrochemicals to Triliance
Marun Tadbir Tina Company, an Iran-based subsidiary of Marun Petrochemical Company
Marun Sepehr Ofogh Company, an Iran-based subsidiary of Marun Petrochemical Company
Marun Supplemental Industries Company, an Iran-based subsidiary of Marun Petrochemical Company
Asia Fuel PTE. Ltd., a Singapore-based company that facilitated Triliance sales in East Asia
Unicious Energy PTE. Ltd., a Singapore-based company that facilitated Triliance sales in East Asia
Sense Shipping and Trading SDN. BHD., a Malaysia-based company controlled by Triliance
Second publication by courtesy of The Iran Imprimer, Original-Text