Kuwait

Kuwait Airways

Industry
Airline
Country
Kuwait
Sources

"CAIRO (Reuters) - Kuwait Airways suspended all flights to Iran starting on Thursday on the advice of the Kuwaiti health ministry and civil aviation authority amid fears about a coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Kuwait Airways is the second flagship carrier in the region to suspend flights to Iran after Iraq Airways stopped flights earlier on Thursday.

Two Iranians who tested positive for the coronavirus have died of respiratory illness, and three others tested positive on Thursday, the Iranian health ministry said." (Reuters, "Kuwait Airways suspends flights to Iran amid fears from coronavirus outbreak," 2/20/2020).

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"Russia’s Aeroflot, Kuwait Airways, China Southern Airlines, Oman Air and Oman’s SalamAir are scheduled to operate flights to Tehran over the weekend, according to their websites." (Reuters, "Factbox: Flights to Tehran canceled after Canada says Iranian missile brought down Ukraine jet," 1/10/2020).

Al Zayani Automobile and Trading Co.

Industry
Automotive
Country
Kuwait
Sources

Al Zayani Automobile and Trading Co. (“Al Zayani”) signed a deal with Borgward Group AG (“Borgward”) in Bremen, Germany, acquiring the exclusive rights for distribution of Borgward vehicles in Kuwait. (Tires & Parts News Resource, “Borgward Group AG Officially Appints Exclusive Distributors in UAE Kuwait and Bahrain,” 6/12/2017). At the same time, media reports indicate that Borgward is also ready to sign similar deals in Iran with two Iranian companies, Bahman Group and Iran Khodro (a.k.a. IKCO), which are affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (“IRGC”). According to Borgward Deputy Director Tom Anliker, “[n]egotiations have been held between Borgward and major Iranian carmakers including Iran Khodro and Bahman Group.” (Financial Tribune, “Borgward Reportedly in Deal With Kian Motor,” 6/13/2017).

Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company

Industry
Energy, Shipping
Country
Kuwait
Sources

"A Kuwait-based customer, Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company has also been lifting about one cargo a month from Iran, the Korean source said. AMPTC has been supplying LPG to Syria, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. Tehran has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as his government fights rebels trying to overthrow him." (Reuters, "EU sanctions strangle Iranian LPG exports to Asia," 10/30/2012)

 

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC)

Industry
Shipping
Country
Kuwait
Contact Information
Sources

"Kuwait-headquartered United Arab Shipping Co (UASC), which is among the world's biggest 20 container lines, said last month it had suspended all services to and from Iran. 'We now find ourselves in the peculiar situation where even if we are carrying non-sanctioned cargo to non-sanctioned entities, the cargo will eventually have to be handled by a party which the U.S. government considers as providing financial support to a sanctioned party,' it said. In a company memo seen by Reuters, UASC added: 'With the passing of the NDAA ... the difficulties in shipping cargo to and from Iran have only increased.'" (Reuters, "Iran faces fresh trade heat as more shipping firms exit," 5/7/2013) 

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Operates as a feeder in Iranian ports.  (Ports and Maritime Organization: Shipping Lines which operating in Iranian Ports)

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Uses Tidewater Middle East Co.’s private terminals in the Shahid Rajaee Port Complex. (Tidewater: Reflection of Tomorrow)

On June 23, 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Tidewater Middle East Co. (“Tidewater”), Iran’s major port operator, because the IRGC owns it and uses it for illicit activities including weapons shipments. (U.S. Department of the Treasury Press Center, “Treasury Sanctions Major Iranian Commercial Entities,” 6/23/11)  The EU followed with its own sanctions against Tidewater on January 23, 2012. (Official Journal or the European Union: Council Decision 2012/35/CFSP)

 

Kuwait and Gulf Link Holding Company (KGL)

Industry
Defense, Transportation Infrastructure
Value of USG Contracts
44
Value of USG Contract Source
http://www.usaspending.gov/explore?fromfiscal=yes&fiscal_year=2003&contractorid=2189112&fiscal_year=&tab=By+Prime+Awardee&fromfiscal=yes&carryfilters=on&Submit=Go
Symbol
KSE:KGL
Country
Kuwait
Contact Information


Sources

"The contractor, Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport, better known as KGL, is a publicly traded conglomerate with hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military contracts. The criminal charges, together with other court documents and unreported revelations made by former executives of a KGL affiliate in a U.S. lawsuit, involve KGL’s possible violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran, and accusations of potentially illicit flows of cash from Russia, Iran and Syria. Taken together, the allegations raise troubling questions about the American military’s heavy reliance on the firm." (June 2017)

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KGL labels itself "the premier provider of integrated Supply Chain Management services in the Middle East, fulfilling the Transportation, Logistics, Port Management, Shipping and Freight Forwarding needs of countless regional and international clients" (Company Website). KGL is a major contractor for the U.S. Defense Department in the Persian Gulf (USASpending.gov).

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"One issue Kirk has been pushing in recent days concerns the huge contracts between the Defense Department and Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company (KGL), which may have ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), an entity long accused of operating a web of shell companies to evade sanctions, and three other Iranian companies already on the banned list of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). KGL was recently awarded a nearly $750 million contract by the U.S. Army and another $42 million sole-source contract by the Defense Logistics Agency. Kirk now wants to know if the U.S. military is indirectly putting money into Iranian government coffers." (Foreign Policy. "David Cohen nomination back on track," 6/27/11)

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"A Kuwaiti shipping company that has done more than $1 billion in business with the U.S. military has also had ties to one of the men indicted in New York Monday for his alleged role in an international conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran. Members of Congress have for months been asking the Pentagon if the defense contractor Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport (KGL) may be secretly doing business with Iranian front companies, and those questions took on fresh urgency Monday with the 317-count indictment. Among those indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance was Moghaddami Fard, an Iranian man whose name appears on dozens of emails with top KGL executives, and who sat on the five-member board of directors of a company that was partially owned by KGL." (ABC News. "U.S. Gave Military Contracts to Firm With Alleged Iran Ties," 6/21/11)

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KGL’s business activity in Iran can be seen primarily through its connection to Combined Shipping Company, which is a joint venture with Valfajr-Shipping Company, an Iranian-owned entity that OFAC added to the SDN list in 2008. In addition, in 2005, KGL TC revealed that KGL Port Management Company made an offer to the Iranian Ports authority to operate the Bandar Abbas port in Iran.” (Zawya, “KGL Port Management Negotiating with Iran for Operating Bandar Abbas Port,” 4/16/2005)

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The Combined Shipping Company KSCC “is a joint venture between the ‘Kuwait and Gulf Link holding Co.’ -(KGL), one of the most prominent investors in the field of transport, logistics and technical services in the Middle East and the Iranian ‘VALFAJR-Shipping Company’ a subsidiary of IRISL Group, the main Iranian sea transporter for passengers and cargo in the Gulf region and worldwide.” (Archived Website)

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In 2010, KGL’s most recent activity in Iran involved “upgrad[ing] and “enlarg[ing] its fleet for passengers transport operations by 400 percent to include 750 buses in anticipation of new contracts [with Iran] in the future.” Presumably, this would be followed by an increase in business operations in the area. According to the Arab Times, KGL “[has a] special presence [in Iran] that has contributed to its capabilities to execute many transport and logistics contracts covering different sectors and industrial segments, including critical and sensitive sectors. (Arab Times, “KGL Moves to Boost Presence in Iran After Upgrade,” 3/7/2010)

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In 2008, IRISL and 18 of its subsidiaries (including Valfajr) were added to the SDN list for “facilitating shipments of military cargo destined for the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and its subordinate entities, including organizations that have been designated by the United Nations Security Council in Resolutions 1737 and 1747.” (US Department of State, Designation of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and Subsidiaries for Proliferation Activities, September 11, 2008)

Independent Petroleum Group (IPG)

Industry
Energy
Value of USG Contracts
2
Value of USG Contract Source
http://usaspending.gov/explore?fromfiscal=yes&tab=By+Prime+Awardee&fiscal_year=2004&contractorid=296890&fiscal_year=&tab=By+Prime+Awardee&fromfiscal=yes&carryfilters=on&Submit=Go
Symbol
IPGK: KW
Country
Kuwait
Contact Information
Sources

"Open sources reported that IPG sold gasoline to Iran in 2009 and 2010 and stopped in 2010." (U.S. Government Accountability Office, Report: "Firms Reported in Open Sources to Have Sold Iran Refined Petroleum Products between January 1, 2009 and June,"September 3, 2010)

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The Wall Street Journal listed IPG as one of the companies that sold gasoline to Iran in 2009. (The Wall Street Journal, "Black-Market Gas Shelters Iran," 6/17/2010)

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"Kuwait-based trader Independent Petroleum Group has sold gasoline produced by Reliance into Iran, even though the Indian refiner has asked traders not to ship its fuel to the Islamic Republic, trade sources said on Thursday. Shipping and trade data obtained by Reuters showed IPG shipped a total 144,830 tonnes, or 1.23 million barrels, of gasoline to Iran in October. IPG loaded a total of four vessels between end-September and October at Reliance's oil terminal at Sikka, the data showed. The four vessels -- Nordic Agnetha, Pro Giant, St George and Torm Carina -- discharged their respective cargoes at Iran's Bandar Abbas oil terminal." (Reuters, "IPG Sells Reliance Fuel to Iran Despite Restrictions," 12/17/2009).