Indian company among dozen sanctioned by US for illicitly carrying Iranian oil
Washington, Oct 12: An Indian shipping firm is among the dozen-odd companies sanctioned by the US for allegedly carrying Iranian oil for sale to buyers in Asia days after slapping restrictions targetting Iran's energy trade for its October 1 attack on Israel.
Gabbaro Ship Services, the India-based company, was involved in the transport of Iranian petroleum as the technical manager of crude oil tanker Hornet and knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the transport of petroleum from Iran as part of a 'Ghost Fleet', the State Department alleged.
The latest American sanctions against several companies across the world comes in response to Iran's October 1 ballistic missile attack against Israel.
“This attack targeted Israel’s most populated city, Tel Aviv, and could have killed hundreds if not thousands of innocent people,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
Following that attack, the US had made it clear that Iran would face severe consequences, he said, and added, the Departments of the Treasury and State on Friday announced the “new and significant measures to more effectively target Iran’s energy trade.”
“The new designations today also include measures against the 'Ghost Fleet' that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world. These measures will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programmes and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States, its allies, and partners,” Sullivan said.
The Treasury claimed Iran’s oil exports are enabled by a network of illicit shipping facilitators in multiple jurisdictions which, “through obfuscation and deception,” load and transport Iranian oil for sale to buyers in Asia.
Prominent among them include United Arab Emirates-based Max Maritime Solutions FZE (Max Maritime), which used vessels under its management to conduct multiple ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil with vessels affiliated with the US-designated National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), it alleged.
The NITC moves Iranian oil for National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to transport it to refineries in the China.
Among the companies sanctions by the State Department are Suriname-based Strong Roots Provider NV, Glazing Future Management NV, Engen Management NV; India-based Gabbaro Ship Services Pvt Ltd; Malaysia-based Alya Marine Sendirian Berhad, and Hong Kong-based Celia Armas Ltd.
Secretary of the Treasury Janet L Yellen said, “Today’s sanctions target Iranian efforts to channel revenues from its energy industry to finance deadly and disruptive activity with dangerous consequences for the region and the world.
Yellen described deadly and disruptive activity as those including development of Iran's nuclear programme, the proliferation of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, and support to regional terrorist proxies. “We will not hesitate to take further action to hold Iran accountable,” she said.
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UP: Police official shunted after killing of two senior employees of biogas plant in Budaun
Budaun (UP) (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government has shunted the Circle Officer of the area in connection with the recent killing of two senior officials at an HPCL compressed biogas plant in the district, officials said on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hirdesh Katheriya said that Ujhani Circle Officer Devendra Singh has been attached to the Police headquarters in Lucknow, and Rahul Pandey of UP-112 emergency response service has been posted to Budaun in his place.
The action comes a day after the state government transferred Senior Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Singh following the double murder at the plant in Sejni village in the Musajhag area.
Meanwhile, under the directions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Bareilly divisional commissioner to conduct a detailed probe into the incident.
The incident took place on Thursday when Sudhir Kumar Gupta, 58, deputy general manager at the facility, and Harshit Sharma, 34, an assistant manager, were shot dead by Ajay Pratap Singh, who was earlier a vendor at the plant here in the district.
The main accused has been arrested, and authorities have also pasted notices on six shops allegedly owned by him in Sejni village that were reportedly constructed over government land, they said, adding that the demolition may be carried out after due procedure.
In view of the incident, authorities have also decided to establish a police outpost inside the plant premises with the deployment of two sub-inspectors and eight police personnel to enhance security.
