US Treasury Sanctions Iraqi Businessmen Over Iran Support
The Treasury said the measures were part of “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign launched to cut off the remaining economic networks and financial channels supporting the Iranian regime.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday sanctioned Iraqi businessmen accused of supporting Iran-backed groups and helping Tehran evade sanctions.
The Treasury said the measures were part of “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign launched to cut off the remaining economic networks and financial channels supporting the Iranian regime.
The department said the operation, announced by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Aug. 24, targets networks involved in oil smuggling, sanctions evasion and financing terrorism. It warned that entities facilitating money laundering or sanctions evasion on behalf of Iran risk being cut off from the U.S. financial system.
Iraqi militia commanders targeted
OFAC designated four members and commanders of Kata’ib Hizballah (KH): Ali Hasan Farhan Al-Lami, Hussein Ahmed Hussein Al-Dhuhaibawi, Mohamed Ameen Fadhil Ali Al-Shaikhli, and Karrar Mohammed Qasim Al-Hraishawi.
The Treasury said the four were sanctioned under Executive Order 13224 for acting directly or indirectly on behalf of Kata’ib Hizballah.
According to the Treasury, KH receives training, weapons, funding, intelligence and logistical support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
The Treasury further accused KH and other Iran-aligned Iraqi militias of carrying out hundreds of attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces since February, including attacks involving explosive drones and rockets.
Companies sanctioned
The Treasury also sanctioned Iraqi businessman Abdullah Nadhim Luaibi Al Ameri, his company Al-Brouj for General Contracting Company Ltd, and Khaldoon Naser Maryoosh Al-Abada, a representative of Ain Al-Iraq for Protecting Technology and Audio, Visual, and Communications Solutions Company Ltd.
Iraqi businessmen accused of helping Iran evade sanctions
The U.S. Treasury also designated Majid Ali Akbar Namdar Al-Mandalawi and Abdulhasan Ali A. Namdar Al-Mandalawi, along with Dubai-based Shams & Bahr Trading Company L.L.C.
According to the Treasury, Majid Al-Mandalawi used Iraqi private banks to transfer funds through the company’s hawala network, while the Dubai-based exchange was used to transfer millions of dollars from Iraq to Iran via the United Arab Emirates.
The latest sanctions come as Washington continues to intensify economic pressure on Iran under Operation Economic Outcast, targeting financial networks and individuals accused of supporting Iranian-backed armed groups and helping Tehran circumvent U.S. sanctions.