US targets Iraqi airline, its CEO and Hamas cryptocurrency financiers for sanctions

AP

Washington, January 22

The US on Monday hit Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO with sanctions, alleging assistance to Iran's military wing — and in addition, imposed a fifth round of sanctions on the militant group Hamas for abuse of cryptocurrency since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

The sanctions come as Israel's bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip continues — killing 25,000 Palestinians so far, according to the Gaza Strip Healthy Ministry — and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq launch regular strikes against bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria.

In the new sanctions announced on Monday, Treasury said Fly Baghdad and its CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani have provided assistance to Iran's military wing and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. A representative from the firm was not immediately available.

“Iran and its proxies have sought to abuse regional economies and use seemingly legitimate businesses as cover for funding and facilitating their attacks,” said Treasury Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson in a statement.

“The United States will continue to disrupt Iran's illicit activities aimed at undermining the stability of the region.”

The sanctions block access to US property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans.

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control also designated three leaders and supporters of an Iran-aligned militia in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah, as well as a business that it says moves and launders funds for the organization.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, an umbrella group of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has launched strikes against bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria.

The group has said the strikes are in retaliation for Washington’s backing of Israel in the war in Gaza and that it aims to push US troops out of Iraq.

Most of the strikes have fallen short or been shot down and have not caused casualties, but on Saturday a missile salvo launched at al-Asad airbase in western Iraq injured a number of US personnel and one Iraqi military service member stationed there.

Some of the Iranian-backed Iraqi miltias, including Kataib Hezbollah, officially operate under the control of the Iraqi military as part of a coalition known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, which was a key player in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group when it rampaged across Iraq and Syria, seizing wide swaths of territory.

In practice, however, the groups largely operate outside of state control.

In addition on Monday, the US sanctioned a network of Hamas-affiliated financial exchanges in Gaza — including financial facilitators that transferred funds through cryptocurrency from Iran to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

The UK and Australia coordinated with the US on these sanctions.

“Hamas has sought to leverage a variety of financial transfer mechanisms, including the exploitation of cryptocurrency, to channel funds to support the group's terrorist activities,” Nelson said.

“Treasury, in close coordination with our allies and partners, will continue to leverage our authorities to target Hamas, its financiers, and its international financial infrastructure.”

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