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US Treasury imposes sanctions on Iran's Mahan Air | US Treasury imposes sanctions on Iran's Mahan Air |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The US has imposed sanctions on an Iranian airline it says flew members of an elite force linked to an alleged plot to kill the Saudi envoy to the US. | The US has imposed sanctions on an Iranian airline it says flew members of an elite force linked to an alleged plot to kill the Saudi envoy to the US. |
The US Treasury says Mahan Air ferried operatives from Iran's Quds Force and Hezbollah across the Middle East. | The US Treasury says Mahan Air ferried operatives from Iran's Quds Force and Hezbollah across the Middle East. |
Under the sanctions, the airline's US assets will be frozen and US firms barred from doing business with it. | Under the sanctions, the airline's US assets will be frozen and US firms barred from doing business with it. |
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meanwhile said the alleged plot was a "dangerous escalation" by Iran. | Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meanwhile said the alleged plot was a "dangerous escalation" by Iran. |
The sanctions were unveiled a day after the authorities announced they had foiled a conspiracy to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel Al-Jubeir, on US soil using explosives. | The sanctions were unveiled a day after the authorities announced they had foiled a conspiracy to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel Al-Jubeir, on US soil using explosives. |
'Secretly ferrying operatives' | 'Secretly ferrying operatives' |
The US government accused members of the Iranian government - and the Quds Force, an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps - of involvement. | The US government accused members of the Iranian government - and the Quds Force, an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps - of involvement. |
The sanctions on Mahan Air are the most noticeable step the US has taken following its announcement of an Iranian plot to carry out a bomb attack in Washington DC. | The sanctions on Mahan Air are the most noticeable step the US has taken following its announcement of an Iranian plot to carry out a bomb attack in Washington DC. |
Iran insists that the charges are part of an American propaganda campaign. To many observers, the details of the proposed attack by a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard remain fairly puzzling. | Iran insists that the charges are part of an American propaganda campaign. To many observers, the details of the proposed attack by a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard remain fairly puzzling. |
It is not immediately clear why the force would choose Manssor Arbabsiar, a man with a criminal record, as the principal agent of its first ever attack inside the US. | It is not immediately clear why the force would choose Manssor Arbabsiar, a man with a criminal record, as the principal agent of its first ever attack inside the US. |
Nor is it clear why Iran would want to approach a Mexican drugs cartel to plant the bomb - when cartels deliberately avoid hitting targets inside the US. | Nor is it clear why Iran would want to approach a Mexican drugs cartel to plant the bomb - when cartels deliberately avoid hitting targets inside the US. |
It may be that the Revolutionary Guard is more reckless in the planning of its operations than previously thought. | It may be that the Revolutionary Guard is more reckless in the planning of its operations than previously thought. |
"It's clear that senior levels of Quds force were engaged in the plotting," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. | |
On Tuesday, the US also imposed sanctions against five people it linked to the alleged assassination plot, including two men charged over the investigation. | On Tuesday, the US also imposed sanctions against five people it linked to the alleged assassination plot, including two men charged over the investigation. |
The pair were named as Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalised US citizen with dual Iranian and US passports, and Gholam Shakuri, who is based in Iran. | The pair were named as Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalised US citizen with dual Iranian and US passports, and Gholam Shakuri, who is based in Iran. |
Mr Shakuri and three others named in Tuesday's sanctions were described as members of the Quds Force. | Mr Shakuri and three others named in Tuesday's sanctions were described as members of the Quds Force. |
Mr Arbabsiar - accused of wiring $100,000 (£63,000) to a US bank account to finance the alleged $1.5m conspiracy - was charged in a New York City court on Tuesday. | |
US officials have said that the accused approached a US informant posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the assassination. | US officials have said that the accused approached a US informant posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the assassination. |
'Mischievous scenario' | 'Mischievous scenario' |
Announcing the latest sanctions on Wednesday, Treasury official David Cohen said in a statement: "Mahan Air's close co-ordination with the IRGC-QF [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp-Quds Force] - secretly ferrying operatives, weapons and funds on its flights - reveals yet another facet of the IRGC's extensive infiltration of Iran's commercial sector to facilitate its support for terrorism." | |
Iranian official media reported on Wednesday that the foreign ministry had summoned the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, who represents US interests in the country. | Iranian official media reported on Wednesday that the foreign ministry had summoned the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, who represents US interests in the country. |
The purpose of the meeting was to "strongly" protest against the US allegations, the state television website reported. | The purpose of the meeting was to "strongly" protest against the US allegations, the state television website reported. |
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted by Iran's Arabic-language Alalam channel as saying: "America has launched a mischievous scenario. But be certain, they will apologise [to Iran] in the future." | |
The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the alleged plot as a "flagrant violation" of international laws and agreements. | |
Meanwhile, details have emerged of Mr Arbabsiar's life in the US, including his background as a secondhand-car salesman in Texas. | |
David Tomscha, who once owned a used car lot with him, told AP news agency: "I can't imagine him thinking up a plan like that. I mean, he didn't seem all that political. He was more of a businessman." | |
Mr Arbabsiar was charged with theft in 2001, according to court documents in Texas, although the charge was dropped. He was also arrested several times in the 1990s for traffic violations. | |
His wife, Martha Guerrero, who lives at a house in an Austin suburb, told a local TV station they were separated and she thought he was blameless of the charges. | |
"I cannot for the life of me think that he would be capable of doing that," she told KVUE. "I'm sure of that and I know that his innocence is going to come out." | |
The case has strained already fraught relations between Washington and Tehran. | |
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a mass rally on Wednesday that the Occupy Wall Street protests in the US would topple the American capitalist system. |