The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines announced the opening of a direct shipping line between Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas and China's Dalian and Lianyungang ports.
News Briefs
April 14, 2014
Lee Specialities Ltd. of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada was fined $90,000 for trying to export Viton O-rings to an Iranian address in January 2012, in violation of the Special Economic Measures Act. The Act is intended to prevent nuclear weapon-related material from entering Iran. The O-rings, made from a special heat-resistant synthetic rubber, are often used in oilfield parts but can also be used in nuclear reactors. The order was placed by Kan Dana Middle East LLC, which has affiliates in Iran and Dubai. Canada Border Services Agency seized the shipment during a routine inspection at Calgary International Airport.
-- National Post
April 7, 2014
Spain's Civil Guard arrested four individuals on charges of attempting to export dual-use industrial machinery to Iran. Three of the suspects are Spanish nationals from the same family, while the fourth is an Iranian. Spanish authorities began their investigation after learning that two Leifeld metalworking machines had been illegally brought into Spain from the United Kingdom. The equipment has civilian applications but can also be used to manufacture missile casings or parts for uranium enrichment. The suspects are believed to have sent engineering plans to Iran using an elaborate network of front companies.
-- El Pais
April 4, 2014
Boeing and General Electric received licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department to export spare parts for commercial aircraft to Iran. The licenses were granted as part of a temporary sanctions relief deal that took effect in January, which only cover components needed to ensure the safe operation of older Boeing planes sold to Iran before the 1979 revolution.
-- Reuters
March 17, 2014
Asghar Zarean, head of nuclear security for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, accused foreign intelligence agencies of tampering with pumps imported by Iran for use in the Arak heavy water reactor.
-- Reuters
March 9, 2014
Three men have pled guilty to charges related to the sale of a dual-use, commercial-grade computer equipment to Iran. The group originally bought a computer storage system from Hitachi Data Systems but were refused technical support after the company suspected the equipment would be sent to an unauthorized user. The men then formed a new company to purchase an identical system and obtain the needed service. After that order was seized, the conspirators attempted to use a Brazilian company to make purchases from a Hitachi reseller. The men are Mohammad Reza "Ray" Hajian, John Alexander Tally, and Randy Dale Barber. All three individuals agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of their plea deal. According to a January 2014 indictment, the men worked with an Iranian businessman named Mahmoud Akbari (also known as John Wassermann) and an Iranian engineer named Reza Hajigholamali.
-- Tampa Tribune
March 9, 2014
Israel intercepted a ship in the Red Sea that was carrying Iranian weapons bound for Gaza. The arms seized from the Klos C, a freighter, included 40 M-302 rockets, 180 120 mm mortar shells, and about 400,000 7.62 mm bullets. The M-302 rockets, which have a range of 90 to 160 km, were originally flown from Syria to Iran and then loaded onto the freighter at the port of Bandar Abbas. The ship was heading to Port Sudan, where Israeli officials believe Iran's Quds Force planned to smuggle the rockets into Gaza.
-- The Jerusalem Post
March 5, 2014
Iran has delivered improved versions of the Qadr H, Qiam, Fateh 110, and Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf) missiles to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said the missiles have improved guidance systems and can evade radar. The Khalij-e Fars is a solid-fuel missile that can carry a 650 kg payload to a range of 300 km, according to Iranian defense officials. It is claimed to be the IRGC Navy's most advanced missile.
-- Fars News
February 25, 2014
A U.S. cyber-security firm reports that the Stuxnet virus may have first entered Iran's Natanz nuclear facility through computer components that were interdicted and infected by the United States, before being sent on to Iran. According to the report, American intelligence agencies identified the Iranian company NEDA Industrial Group as the primary integrator of Natanz's industrial control system and as Iran's leading expert in Siemens Step7 software. This software is used throughout Iran's nuclear program, including at centrifuge plants. U.S. officials then proceeded to interdict computerized components ordered by NEDA and infected them with the Stuxnet virus. The report was prepared by Critical Intelligence, a U.S. cyber security firm. NEDA was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in December 2012 for its involvement in the Iranian nuclear program.
-- The Christian Science Monitor
February 24, 2014
Two Israeli men were arrested by Israeli authorities on charges of trying to smuggle F-4 fighter parts to Iran, via Greece. Greek officials, who investigated the shipment in cooperation with U.S. Department of Homeland Security, intercepted the cargo in December 2012 and April 2013. The components were shipped from Binyamina-Givat Ava, north of Haifa, to an Athens-based front company called Tassos Karras SA. The two Israeli suspects, Eli Cohen and Avichai Weinstein, have both been investigated for arms trafficking with Iran in the past.
-- United Press International