Agriculture

"Wilmar International, the world's largest listed planter, and Mewah International, a $570 million edible oils processor - both listed in Singapore - are driving sales to Iran on long-term contracts, with Middle Eastern trading sources reporting premiums of up to $30 a tonne to the cash benchmark... Wilmar and Mewah dominate the trade with Iran where demand for high-value refined palm olein, used in cooking oil, can reach 500,000-700,000 tonnes a year. Wilmar sells to Saudi Arabian food company Savola, which buys palm oil to feed its edible oil processors in Iran, three Middle Eastern trading sources told Reuters. They said Wilmar demands a premium of $20-$30 per tonne to cover potential payment delays and interest charges. Wilmar said it does not comment on specific contracts. Savola did not respond to requests for comment. 'Savola is a one woman man. It sticks to one palm oil company to supply its refineries and it's Wilmar for the past few years,' said a Dubai trading source close to Savola... Planters who have sent cargoes to Iran with Mewah include subsidiaries of IOI Corp, Kuala Lumpur Kepong and a Malaysian unit of Wilmar, cargo surveyor documents show. Officials at those companies declined comment. Shipping documents obtained by Reuters show Wilmar exported at least 114,000 tonnes of refined palm oil to Iran from the Indonesian island of Sumatra alone last year. In January of this year, Wilmar shipped another 10,700 tonnes to Iran from Sumatra. 'Wilmar doesn't do high stakes gambling. So it has taken a corporate guarantee from Savola's head office in Saudi Arabia,' said a Southeast Asian trading source who has done deals with Savola. 'It's become standard practice.'... With more than half a million hectares of oil palm estates in Indonesia and Malaysia, Wilmar makes most of its sales, and profits, from trading with India and China." (Reuters, "Beyond sanctions, Iran squeezed by higher edible oil costs," 4/29/2013)

Sogeval is the parent comapny to American subsidiary Sogeval Laboratories Inc. located in Texas.

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"Peugeot Citroen SA and hundreds of smaller firms are feeling the sting of sanctions against Tehran as the French government withholds 220 million euros set aside by an Iranian bank for future payments for exports . . . The holdup has also dealt a blow to smaller companies by preventing them from fulfilling and receiving payment for pledged deliveries to Iran of European goods not under sanctions . . . The French Treasury has refused to release any of the money previously set aside in a Bank Tejarat account in Paris to guarantee payments for exports . . . If Tejarat's funds are eventually released, one option is to use some or all of the EUR220 million to finance export deals by 200 French and German companies that also have blocked letters of credit from Iran, the people familiar with the situation at Tejarat said. Mecatherm SA of Schirmeck, eastern France, which exports bakery ovens to Iran, and Sogeval SA, of Laval, western France, which markets its veterinary products in the Islamic Republic, are among those in this situation, the people said. The companies didn't answer messages seeking comment." (Dow Jones, "France Withholds Funds From Peugeot Over Iran Sanctions Fears -Sources," 8/21/12)

Iranian company Tamine Ehtiyajet-e Dam (TED) displays Lohmann's products on its home screen and advertises itself to have a contract with Lohmann to be the exclusive importer of their products in Iran.  

Lohmann lists its Iran office under its Contact Us page.  

"Trade sources told Reuters in December that Bunge and rival U.S. group Cargill [CARGIL.UL] as well as other suppliers had halted new food supply deals to Iran due to payment issues. Cargill [CARGIL.UL] said in a statement: 'In certain countries where international sanctions exist, we provide that food using the humanitarian exception for medicine and food.' The spokesperson also said the department continued to encourage the private sector and foreign counterparts to provide humanitarian assistance, if the transactions were conducted with Iranian financial institutions or entities that have not been blacklisted by Washington." (Reuters, "Exclusive: Ships with one million tonnes of grain stuck outside Iran's ports in payment crisis," 10/2/2019).

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"After years of difficulty caused by economic sanctions, suppliers are hoping a nuclear deal will make it easier to win lucrative contracts to sell wheat, sugar and other food to Iran…Top global agribusiness groups such as Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland Co and others like Swiss commodities trader Glencore-Xstrata have been among the dominant players in Iran's food trade. Those three firms confirmed they sell agricultural products to Iran, and said the activity was in compliance with sanctions." (Reuters, "Food suppliers look to win Iran contracts after nuclear deal," 11/28/13)

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"Oil major Royal Dutch/Shell is seeking to work around international sanctions by repaying a $1.4 billion oil debt to Iran with a grain barter deal via U.S. agribusiness giant Cargill CARG.UL, industry sources said... It is hoping to get clearance from U.S., UK and Dutch authorities - who will be under pressure to agree on humanitarian grounds - for an 'offset agreement' 'that would permit it to fund Cargill to deliver enough grain to Tehran to clear the debt... 'An offset transaction is the only way forward,' said another. 'They are looking at several options. The main one is Cargill.' Shell and Cargill declined to comment... Grain traders expect it to end up buying about 5 million metric tonnes on the open market in 2012, some of that supplied by Cargill." (Reuters, "Exclusive: Shell seeks Iran sanctions workaround via Cargill grain barter," 10/26/2012)

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"The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday morning that U.S. exports to Iran were increasing despite mounting enmity between both sides, while European Union exports to Tehran were falling . . . Both commodities trader Cargill Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., which confirmed it was still trading with Iran, and Procter & Gamble have approached members of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives over Iran sanctions, according to disclosures made as recently as July 19, and the companies themselves. For instance, Cargill queried lawmakers over food and agricultural sales over the latest sanctions legislation, the Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Human Rights Act of 2012, which increases the pressure on Iran by targeting national oil and tanker companies, among others. A Cargill spokesman said that it and other companies, 'were seeking clarity on the language used in the various sanctions laws and regulations, and proposed laws,' on food exports to Iran." (Wall Street Journal, "U.S. Boosts Trade to Iran, Despite Sanctions," 8/16/12)

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"U.S. agribusiness giant Cargill also said in February it planned to continue grain shipments to Iran." (Reuters "Iran poised to start big feed grain imports," 4/13/2012)

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"Traders were unable to confirm which grain company sold the wheat to Iran, but suspected major grain companies such as Cargill Inc, Bunge Ltd or Archer Daniels Midland. ADM and Bunge did not respond to inquiries seeking comment and Cargill said they do not comment on market rumors. 'Cargill, like a variety of other multinational companies with a global agricultural footprint, does sell agricultural commodities to Iran, as food is specifically excluded from the sanctions. We take great care to ensure that these sales respect both the spirit and the letter of the law,' Cargill spokesman Mark Klein added." (Reuters, "Iran buys US wheat despite nuclear tensions," 3/1/2012)

KWS works in Iran through its subsidiary, M & G Mireshghi Bros. Co. (KWS Website, "Subsidiaries and Agencies Middle East/Africa")

In November 2017, Iran discussed bilateral cooperation in the field of air industries with Antonov company CEO. Iran and Antonov company have been cooperating in the production and operation of aircrafts for two decades.

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"The Persian Gulf country will buy two Ukrainian-made Antonov-158s, after a test flight of the aircraft earlier this month, Mohammad-Ali Sirati, managing director of the Iranian aircraft company, was cited as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency. The countries then will start to jointly build the aircraft next year, Sirati, whose company will be in charge of the project, said in Tehran yesterday. Some 30 percent of each plane will be made in Iran, state-run media reported." (Business Week, "Iran Says Antonov-158 Built With Ukraine May Fly in 2013," 10/6/2011)

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Antonov lists on its website that their AN-24 turboprop aircraft is serially produced at HESA plant in Isfahan, Iran. (Antonov website)

As of December 2020, Rhode Island continues to list Gubretas an Iran scrutinized company for active involvement of at least $50 million in Iran's energy sector. Gubretas maintains a 48.88 percent controlling interest in the Iran-based Razi Petrochemical Co.

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As of July 2020, Gubre remains on the Pennsylvania Treasury's List of Scrutinized Companies Determined as Having Involvement In Iran because of oil-related investment of US $20 million since 1996. 

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Gubre Fabrikalari is listed on the 4Q 2020 Minnesota State Board of Investment List of Unauthorized (Scrutinized) Iran Companies.

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In 2020, the U.S. state of Mississippi listed Gubretas on its state lists of Companies Doing Business with the Iranian Petroleum/Natural Gas, Nuclear and Military Sectors, rendering it ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.

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On January 20, 2020, Minnesota SBI listed Gubretas as a scrutinized investment. The managers are explicitly instructed to refrain from purchasing securities on this list.

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As of October 2019, Gubretras remains on the Pennsylvania Treasury's List of Scrutinized Companies Determined as Having Involvement In Iran because of oil-related investment of US $20 million since 1996. 

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On March 13, 2019, the Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration identified Gubretas as a company “engaged in investment activities in Iran, providing funds, goods or services valued at $20,000,000 or more in the energy sector of Iran.

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Gübretaş subsidiary RaIntrade Petrochemical Co. (“RaIntrade”)3 – whose “core business segments” are “[a]mmonia, fertilizers, [and] petrochemicals” – apparently trades Iranian-origin petrochemical products, notably from the Razi Petrochemical Complex at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini. LPG Tanker GAS CAT (IMO: 8818843) recently transported sanctioned petrochemical products apparently supplied by RaIntrade from the Razi Petrochemical Complex arriving at Port of Dahej, India on January 27, 2019... According to the RaIntrade Website, RaIntrade is the “exclusive global marketer of Razi Petrochemical Co. Products.” Moreover, Razi Petrochemical Co. is itself a subsidiary of Gübretaş, according to the 2015 Annual Report of RaIntrade’s ultimate parent, Gübretaş.

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According to the GÜBRETAŞ webpage, GÜBRETAŞ also has a big fertilizer production complex in Iran, with rich natural gas resources. Ammonia, urea and phosphoric acid can be produced in the facilities of this complex.

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In 2017 the U.S. state of Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee listed Iran on its restricted companies list rendering Gubretas ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.

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In 2016 Tennessee used the South Carolina list of "Entities Ineligible to Contract with the State of South Carolina or any Political Subdivision of the State per the Iran Divestment Act of 2014, S.C. Code Ann." as its list of persons it determines engage in investment activities in Iran. Gubretras was included on this list in 2016. "Inclusion on this list would make a person ineligible to contract with the state of Tennessee, if a person ceases its engagement in investment activities in Iran, it may be removed from the list."

In 2018 Tennessee used the New York list of “Entities determined to be non-responsive bidders/offerers pursuant to the New York State Iran Divestment Act of 2012.” BPCL was included on this ist in 2018. Tennessee states "Inclusion on this list would make a person ineligible to contract with the state of Tennessee, if a person ceases its engagement in investment activities in Iran, it may be removed from the list."

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Gubretas, full name Gubre Fabrikalari TAS, is a Turkish chemical fertilizer company, and describes itself as "one of the biggest industrial corporations in Turkey." In addition to manufacturing and trading all types of fertilizer, it also provides port service to assist in their transportation and export (Company Website).

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"Turkish hotels and travel agents reported a sharp jump in bookings from Iranian tourists this week while traders in Istanbul's famed bazaar said more Iranian businessmen have been buying Turkish goods in bulk to sell back home. The pickup in activity immediately after Iran won relief from international sanctions in a nuclear agreement over the weekend signaled that Turkey's slowing economy may be among the first to reap economic benefits from the deal. Companies and merchants anticipate the once-burgeoning trade between the neighboring countries will thrive again…The nuclear agreement also allows Iran to resume exporting and importing some gold and precious metals—an industry that could generate $1.5 billion in government revenues for Tehran, according to the U.S. It also suspends some sanctions on auto and petrochemical exports…For Turkish companies with operations inside Iran, the interim deal is already bringing benefits. Turkish fertilizer producer Gubre Fabrikalari, or Gubretas, which has a 49% stake in the Razi Petrochemical Company, Iran's largest fertilizer production facility, saw its stock rise as much as 7.3% after the deal was announced. 'The deal is definitely positive for us. We used to experience logistical problems when transferring our products due to petrochemical sanctions,' said Huseyin Karakus, investment-relations manager at Gubretas. 'We're already seeing our operation costs decline and we hope money transfers will be easier.'" (Wall Street Journal, "Turkey Expects Boon to Trade With Iran from Nuclear Deal Easing Sanctions," 11/28/13)

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In 2011, Gubretras was added to the Pennsylvania Treasury's List of Scrutinized Companies Determined as Having Involvement in Iran because of oil-related investment of US $20 million since 1996.

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In February 2011, Gubretas's chairman revealed that the company had been approached by Iranian companies for advice in evading US banking restrictions. Bloomberg reported that this solicitation concurred with Gubretas's plans to add 1 million tons of production capacity at its Iranian fertilizer plant.

Over the last three presidential administrations, the United States government has granted Comdex Corporation 14 special licenses to do business in Iran. (New York Times, "Companies with Permission to Bypass Sanctions," 12/24/10)

Biomune works with the Iranian company Golpad

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Over the last three presidential administrations, the United States government has granted Biomune Company 14 special licenses to do business in Iran. (New York Times, "Companies with Permission to Bypass Sanctions," 12/24/10)

Over the last three presidential administrations, the United States government has granted Kannar Inc. 15 special licenses to do business in Iran. (New York Times, "Companies with Permission to Bypass Sanctions," 12/24/10)