Ali Akbar Tabatabaei

Also Known As: 

Ali Akbar Tabatabesi Sayyid Ali Akbar Tabatabaei Ali Akbar Tabatabai'i Sayed Tahmaesebi Sayed Akbar Tahmaesebi Sayyed Akbar Tahmaesebi Sayeed Akbar Tahmaesebi Seyed Akbar Tahmaesebi Tamsabahi Ahmad Tahmasbi Seyed Akbar Tabatabaei Syed Tabatabaei Seyed Akbar Tabataba'i Sayyed Ali Tabataba'ie Seyed Tahmasebi Akbar Tahmasebi

Weapon Program: 

  • Military

Related Country: 

  • Nigeria

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A member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF); commander of the Africa operations of the IRGC-QF.

Linked to a 2010 shipment of weapons, intended for Gambia but seized in Nigeria, that consisted of 240 tons of munitions, including rockets, mortar shells, grenades, and rounds of ammunition; was reportedly sought by Nigerian authorities in connection with the weapons shipment, but claimed diplomatic immunity and took refuge at the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, before returning to Iran; Azim Aghajani was charged in Nigeria with four counts of illegal importation of arms and ammunition in connection with the shipment; according to a U.N. report, the shipment was dispatched by Behineh Trading Company, an IRGC front company; the shipment also involved Ali Abbas Usman Jega and Esmail Ghani.

Has held Iranian passports with the number 6620505 and 9003213.

Born in Iran on August 11, 1956; possible alternative year of birth is 1967.

Sanctions

Designated by the U.N. Security Council on April 18, 2012, pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), as a person involved in or supporting Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or development of nuclear weapon delivery systems; with some exceptions, the designation requires states to freeze assets that are owned or controlled by the person, directly or indirectly, and to ensure that assets are not made available to the person; the resolution also calls on states to prevent the person from entering or transiting through their territories.

Previously removed from the U.N. list on October 18, 2023, following the expiration of targeted sanctions on Iran; returned to the U.N. list on September 28, 2025, as part of the reimposition of sanctions on Iran.

Listed by the European Union on December 2, 2011, as an entity linked to Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or Iran's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems; with some exceptions, E.U. member states must freeze assets owned or controlled by the person, directly or indirectly, and prevent assets from being made available to the person; with some exceptions, E.U. member states must also prevent the person's entry into or transit through their territories.

Added on March 27, 2012, to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), freezing the person's assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism; also subject to the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations, which restrict the use of the U.S. financial system for transactions involving Iranian entities.

Foreign parties facilitating transactions for the person or otherwise assisting the person may be subject to U.S. sanctions; foreign financial institutions facilitating transactions for the person may be prohibited from opening or maintaining correspondent or payable-through accounts in the United States; subject to heightened U.S. export license requirements (with a presumption of denial) due to involvement in activities related to terrorism.

Sanctioned by the governments of Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom, restricting business and financial transactions with the person and/or freezing the person's assets in those countries.

Mentioned Suspect Entities & Suppliers: 

Date Entered: 

May 1, 2012

Date Last Modified: 

December 31, 2023