By Pishtaz | 2024-10-23

The United States on October 17 blacklisted five companies and five individuals and identified eight vessels as blocked property for their ties to the network of Houthi financial operative Said al-Jamal.

Al-Jamal's network is backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force.

"The revenue from al-Jamal’s network generates funds that enable the Houthis’ regional attacks, including their disruption of international shipping in vital waterways," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

"This is the eleventh tranche of sanctions we have imposed on Said al-Jamal’s network, and we will continue to use the tools at our disposal to target these illicit revenue streams," he said.

Included in the designations are the captains of vessels transporting illicit oil and the companies that managed and operated these ships, the US Treasury said.

"The Houthis remain reliant on Said al-Jamal’s international network and affiliated facilitators to transport and sell Iranian oil, continuing their campaign of violence," said Treasury official Bradley T. Smith.

The network uses front companies and willing partners in multiple locations to facilitate the sale of Iranian oil for the benefit of the Houthis, the Treasury said.

Illicit oil shipments

Panama-flagged tanker Kapok has been identified as blocked property, and its owner, Marshall Islands-registered Changtai Shipping Ltd, has been sanctioned.

Also under censure is Motionavigations Limited, based in the Marshall Islands, and Indo Gulf Ship Management LLC, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

UAE-based Ukrainian national Yevhen Skriabin owns and operates Motionavigations Limited and newly designated UAE-based maritime-related companies Eco Max Trading FZE and Eco Max FZE.

Eco Max FZE operates and manages multiple vessels, including Cook Islands-flagged Marbel, Trophy and Onyx, and Palau-flagged Liana, Gratia and Juvenis.

Marbel, Trophy and Liana have been linked to illicit Iranian oil shipments.

UAE and India-based Indian national Rahul Rattanlal Warikoo Rattanlal manages Indo Gulf Ship Management LLC, which operates the Barbados-flagged Kukki.

He has served in management roles for two sanctioned companies which have been implicated in Iranian oil shipments for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics and the al-Jamal network.

Hong Kong and India-based Indian national Dipankar Mohan Keot serves as the technical manager of Indo Gulf Ship Management LLC.

The al-Jamal network is reliant on its system of companies, managers and vessels to transport Iranian commodities and the individuals who oversee these shipments, the Treasury said.

Two captains of vessels transporting sanctioned oil, Iranian national Ali Barkhordar and Pakistani national Wahid Ullah Durrani, also are facing censure.

Barkhordar, helming US-sanctioned vessel Yorgos (formerly Ohar and Artura), transferred sanctioned oil on behalf of al-Jamal onto the US-sanctioned Guyanese-flagged Olympics (previously Lady Sofia), captained by Durrani.