U.S. slaps sanctions on Iranian bank over missile programs

(Kyodo) _ The Treasury Department said Tuesday it has cut off Iran's state-owned Bank Sepah from access to the U.S. financial system for its alleged support for developing missiles.

The sanctions, issued under a presidential executive order aimed at freezing the assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters, prohibit the bank's any transactions in the United States and freeze any assets it may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

"Bank Sepah is the financial linchpin of Iran's missile procurement network and has actively assisted Iran's pursuit of missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction," said Stuart Levey, Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

The move came after the Treasury, under the same order last September, imposed similar restrictions on Iran's Bank Saderat, another state-owned bank, to stem WMD proliferation. The order has been issued to punish those determined to be involved in proliferation in North Korea and Syria.

"Our action today gives effect to the United Nation's call on all nations to deny financial assistance to Iran's nuclear and missile programs, and we urge other countries likewise to fulfill this serious obligation," Levey said.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution late last month that bans trade with Iran in items that could benefit its nuclear and ballistic missile programs for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070110/kyodo/d8mi3km83.html

Wednesday January 10, 8:58 AM

U.S. airs worry about Iran-N. Korea financial links

(Kyodo) _ A top U.S. Treasury official expressed misgivings Tuesday on the development of financial links between Iran and North Korea, saying they could lead to proliferation of missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.
Stuart Levey, treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, told a news conference that Iran's state-owned Bank Sepah had facilitated business between Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization and North Korea's alleged missile-related exporter, the Korean Mining and Industrial Development Corp.

"There's a real concern there...one would have to be concerned about these sorts of links between North Korean proliferators and Iranian proliferators and the financial intermediaries who might be handling that business," Levey said.

He made the comment in announcing that the Treasury has blocked the Iranian bank's access to the U.S. financial system because of its alleged support for developing missiles.

Levey declined to confirm any dates for a second round of talks between the United States and North Korea on U.S. financial restrictions on Pyongyang.

North Korea has demanded the financial curbs be removed before discussing the scrapping of its nuclear weapons program. The United States denies any linkage between the two issues, however. Officials from the two countries met in Beijing in December, in parallel with six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, to talk about the sanctions imposed in response to North Korea's alleged counterfeiting of U.S. currency and money laundering. They scheduled to hold another meeting.

The six-way negotiations ended without an agreement on nuclear disarmament or a date for further talks, as a result of North Korea's refusal to discuss the nuclear issue unless the financial sanctions were lifted.

Payback for Iranian Arsenal Ordnance ( not black market) being seized in Iraq, along with 5 Iranian military Officers. The 2 accompanying diplomats were relased as required. The officers are in US custody in Iraq.

This is very good news, the administration is now starting its anti-Shiite Roll. Look out Muqtada Al Sad'r , you are about to be visited by a 20,000 troop surge!

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