US imposes sanctions against Turkey
2022.12.08 13:04
US imposes sanctions against Turkey
Budrigannews.com – The prominent Turkish businessman Sitki Ayan and his network of companies will be subject to sanctions from the Biden administration on Thursday. The administration has accused Sitki Ayan of facilitating oil sales and money laundering for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A Treasury statement that was seen by Reuters and will be released later on Thursday says that Ayan’s companies have helped Iran’s Quds Force, an arm of the IRGC, set up international sales contracts for Iranian oil, arranged shipments, helped launder the money, and covered up where the oil came from.
According to the statement, “Ayan has established business contracts to sell Iranian oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars to buyers” in China, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. He also said that he gave the money back to the Quds Force.
Along with at least two dozen businesses, including his ASB Group of Companies, a holding company with its headquarters in Gibraltar, Ayan’s son Bahaddin Ayan, his associate Kasim Oztas, and another individual will also be designated.
The move taken by the Treasury will prevent Americans from dealing with those designated and will freeze any assets held in the United States. Sanctions could also be imposed on those who engage in particular transactions.
More EU is preparing new sanctions against Iran
The measures taken by the United States come at a time when relations between Turkey and the United States are strained due to a variety of issues, such as disagreements over Syria policy and Ankara’s purchase of Russian air defense systems.
After Ankara said it was preparing a possible ground invasion against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it views as terrorists but who make up the majority of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Washington recently warned Turkey to refrain from carrying out a military incursion into northern Syria.
As efforts to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran have stalled, Washington has looked for ways to increase pressure and maintains extensive sanctions against Iran.
After former President Donald Trump walked away from the nuclear deal in 2018, U.S. President Joe Biden tried to negotiate Iran’s return.
In exchange for the lifting of international sanctions, the 2015 agreement restricted Iran’s uranium enrichment activities to make it more difficult for Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies having nuclear weapons in its possession.
