15-01-11 Firms accused of aiding Tehran nuclear programme in defiance of UN sanctions

The United States yesterday blacklisted more than a dozen companies in Hong Kong,which a South China Morning Post investigation shows are at the centre of an international network accused of aiding Iran's nuclear and weapons programme in defiance of UN sanctions.The US has targeted 20 shipping companies registered in Hong Kong,which are all previous or current nominal owners of ships previously owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL),which has been internationally censured for supporting Iran's nuclear and weapons programme."IRISL is under tremendous financial pressure from international sanctions,and it is going to extreme lengths to obscure its network and the ownership of vessels," said Stuart Levey,the US under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence."Today's designations expose the latest in a string of deceptive measures Iran is taking to continue its illicit conduct." The new sanctions represent the largest effort by the US to call out Hong Kong entities for their role in aiding IRISL,but they do not cover the full breadth of Hong Kong's involvement since international sanctions began more than two years ago,a Post investigation found.And while many of the world's major economies - the US,the European Union, Japan and Australia - responded to the UN's June sanctions against three IRISL subsidiaries (which were made possible with China's support in the Security Council) with even stronger unilateral sanctions against the beleaguered shipping line,Hong Kong has not enacted legislation that would give the latest UN sanctions effect,thus preventing local officials from taking action.Under sanctions,the US will block the assets of designated companies,and US citizens are prohibited from dealing with them.IRISL has faced increasing difficulties in operating since March 2008,when the UN Security Council resolution called on members to inspect cargoes to and from Iran on ships operated by IRISL over suspicions that prohibited goods were being carried.In the autumn of 2008,the US imposed unilateral sanctions on IRISL and led the effort to persuade the international community to exert pressure on the shipping line.Soon after the UN resolution,IRISL began renaming,reflagging and changing ownership of its fleet.IRISL began changing the registration of its fleet in the summer of 2008,reflagging ships,including 20 in Hong Kong.Others were registered in Germany and Malta.At the same time,the shipping line changed nominal ownership of the 20 Hong Kong-flagged ships to companies registered in Hong Kong - Starry Shine International Limited,Ideal Success Investments Limited, Top Glacier Company Limited,and Top Prestige Company Limited,four of the companies blacklisted.The companies' two directors/shareholders are Ahmad Sarkandi and Ghasem Nabipour,both officials at IRISL at the time,who have since been sanctioned by the US.The four companies' corporate secretary is listed as Sovereign Corporate Services Limited,a company half-owned by David John Beaves,of the Hong Kong office of UK-based law firm Ince & Co."I can't really comment," Beaves said.Talks about IRISL were protected by client privilege and confidentiality,he said.