Austria

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“The U.S. investigation of UniCredit SpA (UCG) on suspicions it violated economic sanctions with Iran involves far fewer transactions than those that surfaced in probes of other banks, Chief Executive Officer Federico Ghizzoni said. Italy’s biggest bank is one of several European financial institutions bracing for the outcome of investigations for alleged sanctions-busting after France’s BNP Paribas SA (BNP) was fined a record $8.97 billion in June for dealing with blacklisted countries. French lenders Credit Agricole SA (ACA) and Societe Generale SA (GLE) and Germany’s Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) and Commerzbank AG are also under scrutiny from state and federal authorities including the U.S. Department of Justice. The UniCredit case involves volumes ‘by far lower than what we have seen with many other banks,”’Ghizzoni said in an interview with Bloomberg Television late yesterday, referring to questionable payments the bank is alleged to have processed and could be fined for. He didn’t elaborate on the number and said the bank isn’t considering setting aside funds to cover possible penalties.” (Bloomberg, "UniCredit Iran Probe for Amounts ’Far Lower’ Than Peers," 8/6/14)

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“As part of talks in Geneva over the nuclear question, Tehran is pressing world powers to speed up trade finance arrangements on humanitarian deals involving both Western and Iranian banks, according to an Iranian government document seen by Reuters and sources familiar with the initiative. Iranian government officials and international trade sources say Tehran wants to simplify complex trade finance arrangements potentially worth billions of dollars, which would alleviate pressure on the country's sanctioned banking system…Iranian government officials said the document, which has been sent to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, tasked with safeguarding Tehran's interests, listed the following banks as ‘available for further actions’: Standard Chartered Bank (London), Societe Generale (Paris), Banque de Commerce et de Placements (BCP) (Geneva), UniCredit Bank (Munich), Commerzbank (Frankfurt), United Bank (Zurich) and BHF Bank (Frankfurt). It was not clear whether these banks had been approached to provide finance. Two business executives familiar with the initiative said they were aware that Standard Chartered, Societe Generale, Commerzbank were among those on the wish list. Commerzbank, Societe Generale, United Bank and BCP all declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Standard Chartered said the bank was not involved and would not get involved in any transaction with any party from Iran. Unicredit said the group was ‘not aware of, and hence is not participating in any international initiative involving financial institutions related to Iran subsequent to the P5+1 (major powers) accord.’” (Reuters, “Western banks cold-shoulder Iran trade finance scheme,” 3/13/14)

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"U.S. authorities are investigating UniCredit's (CRDI.MI) German unit HVB as part of a global crackdown on possible violations of sanctions on Iran that has already cost Standard Chartered (STAN.L ) a hefty settlement. In an emailed statement on Sunday, UniCredit said the New York County District Attorney's Office, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control were leading the investigation... UniCredit said HVB was conducting a broader review of its historic compliance with U.S. economic sanctions on its own initiative. HVB declined to comment beyond the statement. 'The investigation and review are ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,' UniCredit said... UniCredit mentioned the U.S. probe in a 463-page prospectus for a capital increase in January and in its following financial earnings statements. The documents however mentioned neither HVB, the German bank UniCredit acquired in 2005, or Iran. These details were first reported by the Financial Times on Sunday. 'It is not possible at this time to predict the outcome of the on-going investigation, including the timing and any potential financial impact it may have upon the operating results of the company in any future financial period,' UniCredit said in its first-half results statement on August 3." (Reuters, "UniCredit unit HVB probed over Iran sanctions," 8/26/2012)

"Austria’s Oberbank will withdraw from Iran because of increased risk for European companies in light of potential U.S. sanctions, it said on Wednesday." (June 13, 2018)

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"Austria’s Oberbank, which, as a result of the 2015 nuclear deal became the first European bank to enter Iran’s financial system, announced it has not moved forward with business transactions in the Islamic Republic because of US sanctions." (5/31/2018).
 

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"Oberbank (OBER.VI) on Thursday said it had signed a deal with Iran, enabling it to finance new ventures there and making it one of the first European banks to do so since sanctions were eased." (September 21, 2017)

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UANI is now dismayed to learn Oberbank AG participated in the February 20, 2017 Vereinigung der Bayerischen Wirtschaft e. V. (“vbw”) meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Mohammed Javad Zarif and Ambassador S. E. Ali Majedi. Prospective engagement with the vbw Economic Liaison Office in Tehran, where the Tehran Chamber will serve as a local partner. Troublingly, the Tehran Chamber is affiliated with the Iran Development and Renovation Organisation (“IDRO”). (vbw Website, “Round Table mit dem iranischen Außenminister Dr. Zarif”).

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"Austrian Oberbank will continue its professional procedures and support transactions with Iran which have helped the bank to gain an excellent reputation in both countries. "As the first Austrian bank, we are signing a framework agreement for tied financial loans (G3) in US dollars, yen and euros. This agreement allows Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG (OeKB) covered financing with maturities of more than 2 years. It also allows the financing of important projects, for example in infrastructure or health care. It is therefore urgently awaited by well-known Austrian exporters, who are also shortly before signing their export contracts. The agreement allows important Austrian exporters to start their projects in strategic Iranian sectors. Our range of services is only offered to customers from our markets," Alexander Türk, from the Austrian Oberbank, told Trend." (September 2017)

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"Austria agreed on Wednesday to significantly increase its export guarantees for deals with Iran during a visit by the Islamic Republic's central bank chief, two people familiar with the matter said. It will raise the total amount of guarantees that Oesterreichische Kontrollbank, the body responsible, can provide to roughly 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) from more than 200 million euros, the people said. "It is about saying that it is possible to do significantly more than before," said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks between Iranian and Austrian officials were confidential." (Reuters, "Austria signals readiness to do more business with Iran," 9/28/2016).

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Referenced as an international bank providing services to 'deficient' Iranian banks. (Avi Jorisch, "Iran's dirty banking," 2010)

"Germany’s Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines suspended flights to Tehran until Jan. 20." (Reuters, "Factbox: Flights to Tehran canceled after Canada says Iranian missile brought down Ukraine jet," 1/10/2019).

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Will continue flights to Tehran, along with its partner Austrian Airlines, "until further notice." "European airlines are scrapping flights to Iran," CNN, August 23, 2018.

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"The alpine country’s Austrian Airlines announced on Friday that it will stop service to the Iranian cities Isfahan and Shiraz, delivering another business set back to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s already fragile economic situation.Austrian Airlines said it canceled its service to the Iranian cities, starting in September, according to the airline trade website Aviation Tribune. Austrian Airlines will, however, continue its service to Tehran." (Jerusalem Post, "Iran dealt new set back with Austrian Airlines cancelling flights," 7/9/2018).

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Austrian Airlines is expanding its Iran network of routes by adding Shiraz as a destination in July 2017. According to Chief Commercial Officer, Andreas Otto, “No other airline in Western Europe offers 18 weekly flights to Iran.

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"Starting on July 2, 2017, Austrian Airlines will take off four times a week to the Iranian metropolis of Shiraz. The airline will serve this route Vienna-Isfahan-Shiraz, leaving Vienna on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays to make an interim stopover in Isfahan. In addition to existing services of up to 14 weekly flights to Teheran and four weekly flights to Isfahan, Austrian Airlines is further expanding its portfolio of destinations in Iran, adding Shiraz. “No other airline in Western Europe offers 18 weekly flights to Iran. Here we are number one”, says Austrian Airlines CCO Andreas Otto." (Austrian Airlines, "Austrian Airlines Expands Offering to Iran: Flights to Shiraz as the Summer of 2017," 1/25/2017).

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Austrian Airlines offers daily flights between Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA) and Vienna International Airport (VIE) ( company website).

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“Iran and Austria will restart direct flights after a one-year suspension, says deputy head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization Mohammad Khoda Karami. Austrian Airlines will resume flights to the Iranian capital, Tehran, on March 12, Karami added on Saturday. ‘The Iran-Austria air link has been suspended since the beginning of 2013 until now due to the Austrian airline’s revenue problems, and after that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Airline (Iran Air) undertook to transfer travelers via the Tehran-Vienna route on its own,’ the Iranian official said. As agreed by the two countries’ national flag carriers, five flights will be run between Tehran and Vienna a week on a regular basis, he said. It will be promising news for European business travelers looking to visit Iran in the absence of direct flights to Tehran from Europe.” (Press TV, “Austria to reopen direct flights to Iran in March,” 2/15/14)

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“Iranian officials said they expected positive economic changes with the lifting of some sanctions against the country as part of a deal struck with world powers, which begins on Monday…Austrian Airlines announced last week that it was resuming flights to Iran after a one-year break forced by the sanctions, and several European political and trade delegations have visited the country in recent weeks. implemented.” (New York Times, “Iran Welcomes Start of Nuclear Deal,” 1/19/14)

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"Austrian Airlines , a unit of Germany's Deutsche Lufthansa , is cancelling its services to Iran due to a lack of demand, a spokesman said. The carrier's last flight from Vienna to Tehran will be on January 13... Austrian Airlines suspended its service to Tehran for more than two months last summer because it could not be sure of getting its planes refueled there." (Reuters, "Two airlines suspend Iran flights as economy weakens," 1/13/2012)

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The airline is a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa, the flag carrier of Germany, which also offers daily flights to Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport.

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"Some major Western airlines were continuing to fly to Tehran, though, namely Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, KLM and Alitalia... Austrian said in a statement that 'we plan to continue our flights VIE-THR-VIE up to five times a week,' and dismissed rumours that they would stop." (The Daily Star, "Airlines stop Iran flights as currency crisis bites," 10/8/2012)

OMV is listed as a prohibited company in the March 2020 and March 2021 Report to the New Jersey Legislature Iran Divestment Act. 

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"The company was reported as potentially signing an MOU to develop the Band Karkheh oilfield. In 2018 CalPERS designated the company as under review. In 2019 CalPERS changed the designation to “being monitored” because CalPERS’ initial screening has not identified the company as having involvement in the regions and/or activities targeted by the Act. CalPERS has maintained the company in “monitor” status for 2020. CalPERS continues to monitor the company for possible changes in status relevant to the Act."

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"OMV signed an MOU with Dana Energy and NIOC to develop the Band Karkheh oilfield. In 2017, CalSTRS designated OMV as “Being Monitored” for potentially having new ties to Iran and subsequently maintained the status after reviewing the company’s business and internal controls and determined to monitor its interest in the Band Karkheh oilfield. In 2018, the company announced it will pull out of Iran when seismic studies are completed. In 2020, CalSTRS removed OMV after further review of the company’s internal controls to prevent sanction violations."

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OMV is listed in the March 1, 2019, Report to the New Jersey Legislature Iran Divestment Act. 

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In 2017, CalSTRS designated OMV as “Being Monitored” for potentially having new ties to Iran and subsequently maintained the “Being Monitored” designation after reviewing the company’s business and internal controls and deciding to monitor their interest in the Band Karkheh oilfield. In 2018, the company announced it will pull out of Iran when seismic studies are completed. CalSTRS is maintaining a “Being Monitored” designation until the pull out is completed. OMV has signed MOU with Dana Energy and NIOC to develop the Band Karkheh oilfield.

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"Austria’s energy giant OMV says it plans to cease its operations in Iran amid growing signs that the United States is preparing to re-impose sanctions against the country. OMV Chief Executive Rainer Seele told Reuters that his company planned to conclude a seismic studies project in Iran but would not pursue projects further. “Let’s face it, you cannot simply carry on in Iran,” he said. “US sanctions are a much bigger risk for OMV’s business than any possible compensation that Europe … could offer.”" (June 15, 2018).

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"Austrian energy group OMV is continuing with planned Iranian energy projects despite the United States’ withdrawal from a nuclear pact with Tehran, but said on Tuesday it had made no investments there yet." (5/22/2018).

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"Austrian integrated oil and gas company, OMV, is seeking to expand cooperation with the National Iranian Oil Company to secure a footprint in the country's upstream sector, OMV's Orient Upstream general manager said.

"We are very upbeat on the future of collaborations with NIOC and look forward to further our activities in the oil discovery, production and development fields," Kurt Wagner was also quoted as saying by NIOC's portal on Sunday.

He was speaking on the sidelines of Iran Oil Show 2018, the largest annual convention in Iran's petroleum industry in Tehran. In addition to Iranian companies, over 600 representatives from 37 countries have participated in the event.

The official described the two companies' previous cooperation as promising, saying that talks are underway to sign a deal with NIOC, within the framework of Iran Petroleum Contract, the country's new model of contracts for oil and gas projects." (May 8, 2018).

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In 2018 the U.S. state of Iowa listed OMV as an Iran restricted company rendering OMV ineligible for investment and/or state contracting. 

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"Russian oil corporation Gazprom Neft and Austrian OMV AG energy company signed a cooperation agreement on the exploration and assessment of Iranian oil fields at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Russian company said Friday." (June 2, 2017)

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"Iran's state oil company NIOC is close to finalising a term contract to supply Austrian energy group OMV with 40,000 b/d of Iranian crude, managing director Ali Kardor said. Part of the proceeds for the crude will be used to repay debts Iran owes to the Austrian company for some exploration work carried out in Iran more than a decade ago, he said. "This agreement will help Tehran pay its outstanding debts to OMV," Kardor said in Tehran. OMV carried out exploration work at the Mehr block for five years after it was awarded the rights to explore the license in 2001. It went on to discover the Band-e-Karkheh oil field in 2007, when it was originally estimated to hold 2bn bl of oil. NIOC more than doubled this estimate to 4.5bn bl in 2009 after discovering a new oil layer. Kardor did not clarify what Iran's standing debt was to OMV, but said 7.25pc of the price of these barrels would go towards paying the debt off, with the remainder going to the country's treasury." (Argus Media, "Iran Finalizing Crude Sales Contract With OMV," 5/11/2017).

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"Austria's OMV and Iran's Dana Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate possible oil and gas development and redevelopment projects in Iran, the companies said Wednesday, in a development that could open an indirect route for UAE interests to participate in Iran's upstream petroleum sector... the OMV/Dana agreement is unusual in bringing to Iran an international oil company in which an Arabian state entity holds a substantial equity stake, and in teaming up the international partner with an Iranian private-sector petroleum company instead of one owned by Iran's government... OMV is the former state petroleum company of Austria in which Vienna still holds a 31.5% stake. Its second-biggest shareholder, with 24.9%, is Abu Dhabi government-owned International Petroleum Investment Co., which last Saturday became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mubadala Investment, the newly created Abu Dhabi industrial group with international petroleum assets that include over 800,000 b/d of oil production." ( Platts, "OMV Inks Deal to Access Oil Developments in Iran with Private Iranian Company," 1/25/2017).

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Austria’s OMV is reportedly negotiating with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) over the development of Iran’s Cheshmeh Khosh oil field. Fars news agency reported that a delegation from OMV had met Amir-Hossein Zamaniniya, Iran’s deputy petroleum minister for international affairs, as well as Salbali Karimi, the managing director of the Iranian Central Oil Fields Company (ICOFCO.), to discuss the project. Fars added that talks had already involved the technical points. The field is located in Iran’s western province of Ilam. It is expected to have a production of 18,000 barrels per day of oil and 115 million cubic feet of natural gas once fully developed. (Press TV, "OMV eyeing Iran's Cheshmeh Khosh project," 12/11/2016).

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"In May 2016, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and OMV signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the evaluation of five oil fields in the West of Karoun area, for potential future development. The MoU also covers an envisaged cooperation in the area of technology research, crude and petroleum product swap business."  

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Austria's OMV said on Friday it received 1 million barrels of crude oil from Iran in a spot delivery at the Italian port of Trieste which the energy group will send to its two refineries in Austria and Romania. The delivery was Iran's first to OMV since 2012, when sanctions were imposed on the country. OMV is in talks with Iran about future deliveries, although no such contract has been signed yet, a spokesman said. (Reuters, "Iran sends 1 mln barrels of oil to Austria's OMV in spot delivery," 9/16/2016)

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The Chairman and CEO of OMV, Rainer Seele, presented at the Iranian Petroleum and Energy Club (IPEC) Congress, held in Tehran October 19-21, 2015. (IPEC Congress 2015 Program)

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"Austrian energy group OMV wants its expansion in Iran to focus on the oilfields it has already discovered and it is prepared to invest only a limited amount there, Chief Executive Rainer Seele said on Monday. Seele, who is preparing a new strategy aimed at adapting to low oil prices and expanding production cost-efficiently, said he had no interest in a much more expensive gas project in Iran, apparently referring to the massive South Pars gas field. 'At the end of the day for us it is not simply about producing oil or gas -- we want to make profits,' he said at a joint event with Gerhard Schroeder, the former German chancellor who is now an executive for the pipeline consortium Nord Stream... While OMV was keen to move as soon as sanctions are lifted, which he expected to happen in the first or second quarter, Seele said the economic conditions had to be right, and the company would focus on the fields it knows best. 'We discovered two oilfields there,' Seele said." (Reuters, "OMV says wants to focus Iran push on its existing oil finds," 11/9/15)

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"Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said he had met on Wednesday with Austrian oil and gas group OMV and other foreign oil companies as Tehran prepares to offer oilfields, projects and its final investment contract in November. Zanganeh, in Vienna for an OPEC meeting. He declined to name the other firms involved in the talks, held on the executive floor of an international hotel cleared of reporters. 'The companies are coming and visiting. At least they are showing that they are keen on exploring these possibilities, to get prepared for what they want to do,' a source close to the matter said." (Reuters, Iran oil minister meets OMV, other companies in Vienna, 6/11/14)

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"As it tries to lure back oil companies, Iran also signaled it could offer production-sharing agreements in the Caspian Sea. Such deals are considered attractive to companies but haven't been awarded in Iran since the 1970s. Bijan Zanganeh, who was in Vienna for the meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said he had met with executives from Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, the world's largest oil trader Vitol, Austria's and Italy's Eni SpA…'With OMV, we discussed about many things and [with] Shell only about the general willingness for cooperation in future and placing the money that we have in account of Shell,' Mr. Zanganeh told reporters." (Wall Street Journal, "European Energy Companies Meet With Iranian Oil Minister," 12/5/13)

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"This year, 166 Chinese companies are present at the fair compared to 100 companies last year,' a senior oil ministry official said. 'The number of foreign companies are up 35 percent,' to 496 out of the total 1,550, he said. He said that despite UN sanctions and bilateral punitive measures by the United States and the European Union against Iran, 'Germany is present with 64 companies, Italy with 36, Britain with 37, Spain with 14, France with 15 and South Korea with 33 companies.' Major Western energy groups such as Total of France, Norwegian Statoil and OMV of Austria, who have withdrawn from Iran, made a 'symbolic' appearance at the fair." (AFP, "Chinese Firms Dominate Iran Oil Exhibition," 4/15/11)

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"Oil and gas group OMV has not renewed a fuel supply contract with Iran's state airline because of international sanctions against the Islamic Republic, an Austrian newspaper reported. The move means Iran Air planes can no longer fill up at Vienna airport, the Wiener Zeitung reported in its weekend edition. The contract expired on March 23, it said." (Reuters, "Austria's OMV Ends Iran Air Fuel Contract," 3/27/10)

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"The U.S. Congress is moving toward passing a bill that would strengthen sanctions against Iran over that nation’s nuclear activities by putting greater pressure on Iran’s oil and gas sectors, both of which have underpinned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration. Other companies named in the list, which was announced Thursday, include Austria’s OMV AG..."(Asia News Net, "Japan firms may face U.S. sanctions over Iran," April 25, 2010) 

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"The enormous New York State Common Retirement Fund plans to divest $86.2 million in investments from nine companies doing business in Sudan and Iran...The decision comes after two years of reviewing these companies, the potential risk of the investments and, in some cases, humanitarian efforts in these countries.'We don't expect our investments to benefit regimes that support genocide and terrorism,' said DiNapoli. The fund plans to divest out of $86 million in Gazprom (OGZPY), Inpex (1605.TO), Lukoil (LUKOY), Oil And Natural Gas Corp (500312.BY), OMV (OMVKY), Petroleo Brasilia (PBR), Statoil (STO), Wartsila OYJ and Sinopec Corp. DiNapoli said the firms were chosen because 'they failed to respond or we were not satisfied with their responses' when asked to provide information to the fund on the investments and their risks. (Dow Jones Newswires, "NY Comptroller To Divest $86.2M In State Pension Fund Investments," 6/30/09)

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"When Austria-based energy company OMV AG saw a chance to develop a lucrative Iranian gas field in April, it jumped at the $18 billion deal despite strong opposition from the U.S." (The Wall Street Journal, "U.S. Sanction Threats Make Little Headway," July 12, 2007)