UAE

BESTWAY Oilfield, One of the leading stockiest and supplier of Piping Materials in UAE. The ERC determined that Bestway Line knowingly divert U.S. origin items to Iran without authorization and are therefore unreliable recipients of U.S.-origin goods and technology. (Department of Commerce, 11/13/2019).

The ERC determined to add Safe Technical Supply Co., LLC to the Entity List under the destinations of Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as this entity has been involved in the proliferation of unsafeguarded nuclear activities. (Bureau of Industry and Commerce, 11/13/2019).

"Additionally, Mehdi Group has two branch offices:  Singapore-based Mehdi Offshore and Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (Mehdi Offshore) and United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Penta Ocean Ship Management & Operation LLC (Penta Ocean).  Mehdi Offshore ostensibly provides various support services, while Penta Ocean and UAE-based Mehdi Group subsidiary Fourteen Star Shipping Management manages billing and payments.  Mehdi Group also is able to draw on expertise in oil-related logistics, including refining and storage, through its UAE-based subsidiary Five Energy Oil Trading.

Additionally, Mehdi Group has two branch offices:  Singapore-based Mehdi Offshore and Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (Mehdi Offshore) and United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Penta Ocean Ship Management & Operation LLC (Penta Ocean).  Mehdi Offshore ostensibly provides various support services, while Penta Ocean and UAE-based Mehdi Group subsidiary Fourteen Star Shipping Management manages billing and payments.  Mehdi Group also is able to draw on expertise in oil-related logistics, including refining and storage, through its UAE-based subsidiary Five Energy Oil Trading." (U.S. Department of the Treasury, "Treasury Designates Vast Iranian Petroleum Shipping Network That Supports IRGC-QF and Terror Proxies," 9/4/2019).

"Additionally, Mehdi Group has two branch offices:  Singapore-based Mehdi Offshore and Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (Mehdi Offshore) and United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Penta Ocean Ship Management & Operation LLC (Penta Ocean).  Mehdi Offshore ostensibly provides various support services, while Penta Ocean and UAE-based Mehdi Group subsidiary Fourteen Star Shipping Management manages billing and payments.  Mehdi Group also is able to draw on expertise in oil-related logistics, including refining and storage, through its UAE-based subsidiary Five Energy Oil Trading. Mehdi Group found a partner outside of the company to supplement its efforts to assist the IRGC-QF.  Lebanon-based Africo 1 Off-Shore SAL assists in, sponsors, or provides financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Mehdi Group subsidiary Vaniya Ship Management by operating the tanker JASMINE for the network.  The JASMINE also is being identified today pursuant to E.O. 13224 as blocked property in which Africo 1 Off-Shore SAL has an interest." (U.S. Department of the Treasury, "Treasury Designates Vast Iranian Petroleum Shipping Network That Supports IRGC-QF and Terror Proxies," 9/4/2019).

In June 2009, the UAE-based firm Eliya General Trading was working to provide specialty alloys produced by the German firm NMT GmbH to Iran’s Kian Metals Company. Kian Metals is a cover name used by Iran’s Samen al-A’emmeh Industries Group (SAIG), which oversees Iran’s cruise and tactical missile programs, and Sanam Industries Group (SIG), which is subordinate to SAIG and responsible for the development of tactical missiles. Both SAIG and SIG have been designated by the United Nations Security Council pursuant to Resolution 1747. One of the alloys being supplied to the Iranian firm is Ti-6AI-4V, which is suitable for use in Iran’s tactical and cruise missile systems and has been previously sought by Iran’s ballistic missile program. This alloy can be used to produce missile motor cases and reentry vehicle structures, and may be controlled by the Nuclear Suppliers Group; (Wikileaks, "Efforts by UAE Based Firm to Provide German-Made Alloy" 8/7/2009).

Emirates Hermes General Trading operated by Basha Asmath Shaikh and Manohar Nair, procured U.S.-origin items for Mahan Air, an Iranian airline that is subject to a BIS temporary denial order and has been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control;

The Hermes is a private, multinational enterprise with diverse commercial and industrial operations in the Middle East and an actively managed portfolio of international investments. Emirates Hermes General trading seeks to become long-term partners with exceptional management teams and employees who share our goal of significant long-term growth while simultaneously leaving a lasting and positive impact on the communities in which we operate;

Also Emirates Hermes General Trading procured U.S.-origin items for Complete Freight Solutions, a listed entity on the Entity List; (Source: Federal Registry, 5/14/2019).

Presto Freight International operated by Basha Asmath Shaikh and Manohar Nair, procured U.S.-origin items for Mahan Air, an Iranian airline that is subject to a BIS temporary denial order and has been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control;

Established in 2003, Presto Freight International LLC (PFI ) is one of the leading international freight forwarding, relocation and project logistics management company delivering cost-effective solutions throughout the Middle East and Worldwide;

Also Presto Freight International procured U.S.-origin items for Complete Freight Solutions, a listed entity on the Entity List (Source: Federal Register, 5/14/2019). 

"Despite the existing geopolitical and economic issues in the region, Kaddouri remains focussed on the Middle East, with Iraq and Iran on his radar.The company has been working on entering Iran for the past few years and is scheduled to open its first hotel there in less than a year." (April 30, 2017)

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"A handful of mostly European hotel groups are looking to steal a march on their U.S. competitors by moving into the Iranian hospitality market while U.S. companies still face regulatory uncertainty... Abu Dhabi-based-Rotana Hotel Management Corp. PJSC, France’s Accor, Spain’s Meliá Hotels International  and Germany’s Steigenberger Hotel Group are all moving quickly in anticipation of a tourism and business boom... Rotana, which operates out of more than two dozen cities in emerging and often complicated markets such as Iraq and Sudan, has four properties under construction in Iran, the first one of which, a five-star hotel with 362 rooms, will open next year in the holy city of Mashhad..." (Wall Street Journal, "Iran Prepares for an Uptick in Tourism," 10/4/2016).

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"Global hotel companies are establishing new beachheads in Iran, betting that lifted sanctions against the Middle East nation will spark a jump in tourism and business travel after decades of economic isolation. Spanish operator Melia Hotels International is planning to open a 319-room hotel next year on the Caspian Sea. French group Accor Hotels, which opened two hotels near the Tehran airport last autumn, is establishing a joint-stock company in Iran through which it will partner with local groups to manage hotels. Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Hotel Management Corp. PJSC has started developing properties in the country as well." (The Wall Street Journal, “Next Big Travel Destination: Iran?,” 5/17/2016)

"All economic activities related to... tourism will enjoy 100 percent tax holidays between five to 13 years depending on the region," deputy economy minister Mohammad Khazaei told hoteliers from 18 countries who had gathered in Tehran, many from Europe... ... "We've been invited by many, many investors, many developers" to join in partnerships there, Imad Elias, chief of the Dubai-based Roda Hotels and Resorts, told AFP." (AFP, "Iran offers hotel tax breaks in bid to boost tourism," 10/3/2016).