Speaking at a press conference yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the designated shipping companies include the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its China-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping.
Pompeo described IRISL as the shipping line of choice for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents. As explained, the previously sanctioned IRISL had its sanctions lifted in January 2016 as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). However, the U.S. Secretary believes the move was an enormous mistake as it allowed IRISL to “knowingly engage in activities and transactions that materially contribute to Iran’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
