The Council has re-listed a number of Iranian entities (namely Bank Tejarat and 32 shipping companies) and has extended sanctions against certain Iranian persons until 13 April 2016.
Council Implementing Regulation 2015/548 renews the restrictive measures in view of the situation in Iran until 13 April 2016. The Regulation also makes some amendments to the listings (namely the deletion of some persons).
Council Implementing Regulation 2015/549 relists Bank Tejarat and 32 shipping companies alleged to be owned by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL). The relisting follows the judgments of the General Court in Joined Cases T-420/11 and T-56/12 and Case T-176/12 (all of 22 January 2015). The relisting is based on new statements of reasons, being the alleged ownership of the shipping companies and, for Bank Tejarat, as follows:
Bank Tejarat provides significant support to the Government of Iran by offering financial resources and financing services for oil and gas development projects. The oil and gas sector constitutes a significant source of funding for the Government of Iran and several projects financed by Bank Tejarat are carried out by subsidiaries of entities owned and controlled by the Government of Iran. In addition, Bank Tejarat remains partly owned by and closely linked to the Government of Iran which is therefore in a position to influence Bank Tejarat’s decisions, including its involvement in the financing of projects regarded by the Iranian Government as a high priority. Furthermore, as Bank Tejarat provides financing to various crude oil productions and refining projects which necessarily require the acquisition of key equipment and technology for those sectors whose supply for use in Iran is prohibited, Bank Tejarat can be identified as being involved in the procurement of prohibited goods and technology.
