U.S. sanctions Armenian GSA for ties to Iran's Mahan Air

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States has targeted with sanctions an Armenian general sales agent providing services to an already sanctioned Iranian carrier, Mahan Air, the Department of treasury said.

The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and other support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

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.

A GSA is a third party that provides services to an airline under the airline’s brand, including sales and marketing, administrative services, and financial services.

"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, OFAC designated a Thailand-based Mahan Air GSA," the Treasury added.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also took action against two Syria-based, Iran-backed militias composed of foreign nationals, and an Iranian airline linked to designated Iranian airline Mahan Air and the IRGC-QF.