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Shafaq News
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Washington sanctions Iran intel over FBI case
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the United States announced sanctions on three Iranian intelligence officers linked to the disappearance and probable death of former FBI agent Robert Levinson. The action, taken by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in coordination with the FBI, was implemented under Executive Order 14078, which targets "individuals responsible for hostage-taking and wrongful detention, including by foreign state actors." According to the US Department of the Treasury, the designated individuals—Reza Amiri Moqadam, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, and Taqi Daneshvar—are affiliated with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and are allegedly involved in Levinson's abduction, detention, and subsequent concealment of information related to the case. MOIS was previously designated under the same executive order in 2023 for its role in the detention of US citizens, including Levinson, with the authorization of senior Iranian officials. The Treasury noted that the three individuals acted on behalf of the ministry. The Department of State continues to offer a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to Levinson's recovery or the identification of those involved in his disappearance. Earlier, the Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and several Hong Kong-flagged vessels linked to oil exports in a "Shadow Fleet" used to evade sanctions on Iranian oil exports, in addition to a private Chinese " teapot" refinery and entities accused of facilitating Iranian oil sales. The US and its allies have voiced concern over Iran's uranium enrichment nearing weapons-grade levels, despite Tehran's claims of peaceful intent. The issue escalated after US President Donald Trump revived his 'maximum pressure' campaign on Iran.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. sanctions 3 Iranians for 2007 disappearance of former FBI agent
March 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury and State departments sanctioned three Iranian intelligence officers accused of being involved in the abduction, detention and likely death of former FBI special agent Robert A. Levinson. The three sanctioned Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security officers are Reza Amiri Moghadam, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia and Taqi Daneshvar, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced Tuesday in a news release. The three "all played a role in Mr. Levinson's abduction, probable death and Iran's efforts to cover up or obfuscate their responsibility," according to the Treasury Department. "Iran's treatment of Mr. Levinson remains a blight on Iran's already grim record of human rights abuse," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. "The Department of the Treasury will continue to work with U.S. government partners to identify those responsible and shine a light on their abhorrent behavior," Bessent said. Levinson was a retired FBI agent who traveled to Kish Island, Iran, as a private investigator on March 8, 2007, and disappeared a day later, according to the FBI. He has been seen in videos and photographs released by his captors years after his disappearance but now is thought to be dead. "Today's action by our partners at the Department of the Treasury demonstrates that we continue to work together to identify additional Iranian officers involved in Bob's abduction," FBI Director Kash Patel said. The three new sanctions are in addition to 2020 sanctions announced against Iranian MOIS officers Mohammed Baseri and Ahmad Khazai, the State Department said in a news release on Tuesday. "MOIS has a history of wrongfully detaining U.S. nationals and has been designated across various sanctions programs," according to the State Department. The State Department in November 2019 offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the location, recovery and return of Levinson and the identities of those responsible for his disappearance. Mohammadnia is a former senior MOIS deputy who became Iran's ambassador to Albania in 2016 before Albanian officials expelled him in December2018 for harming that nation's national security. He also tried to shift blame for Levinson's disappearance and likely death away from the Iranian government to a terrorist group in Pakistan's Baluchistan region. Moghadam aka Ahmad Amirinia is the current Iranian ambassador to Pakistan and formerly led the MOIS operations unit. He held a "senior role" in Levinson's disappearance and obfuscated the truth about his abduction, according to the Treasury Department. Daneshvar is a high-ranking MOIS officer involved in counterespionage activities and was involved in Levinson's abduction and likely death, the Treasury Department says. Tuesday's sanctions are in accordance with President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14078, which implements the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. The sanctions against the three men means all property and interests each has in property and assets that are in the United States or are possessed or controlled by U.S. citizens are blocked and must be reported to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Al Arabiya
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
UK to place Iran onto highest tier of new foreign influence register
Britain will place the Iranian state, including its intelligence services and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), onto the highest tier of its upcoming Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), security minister Dan Jarvis said on Tuesday. Britain describes FIRS as a two-tier scheme to strengthen the resilience of its political system against covert foreign influence and provide greater assurance around the activities of foreign powers or entities that are a national security risk. The scheme will require 'the registration of arrangements to carry out political influence activities in the UK at the direction of a foreign power.' The 'enhanced' tier will allow a senior minister to require certain countries register a broader range of activities to protect Britain's interests. 'We will place the whole of the Iranian state, including Iran's intelligence services, the IRGC and MOIS (Ministry of Intelligence), on to the enhanced tier of the new foreign influence registration scheme,' Jarvis told parliament. Jarvis said the scheme was expected to be up and running by the summer.
