Transportation Infrastructure

According to its website: "Miltizer & Munch: Your Strong Partner for Iran."

--

Militzer & Münch's company website lists "Militzer & Münch Pars Forwarding Co. Ltd." as its agent and contact in Tehran, Iran. (Militzer & Münch website, "Locations")

--

Mr. Rolf Klawitter of Militzer & Münch's "Business Development Central Asia and the Middle East" division is a board member of the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce in Tehran. (German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce website, "Vorstand"; Linkedin, "Rolf Klawitter")

Robel is a German construction company that works in Iran through its partner, Airia Co. Ltd. (ROBEL Website, “Product Catalog,” 2012) Since UANI sent a letter to ROBEL in July 2013, ROBEL has deleted this information from its website.

Rawie is a railroad buffer stop manfacturer that works in Iran through its Iranian partner, Airia Co. Ltd. (Rawie Website, "Locations Worldwide")

Reuters article dated June 9, 2017, specifically citing Cargotec, which reports, “Western manufacturers are shying away from supplying equipment for an Iranian port that India is developing for fear the United States may reimpose sanctions on Tehran, Indian officials say…”  (Reuters, “India’s plan to develop key Iranian port faces U.S. headwinds,” 6/9/2017). According to the article, “Konecranes (KCRA.HE) and Cargotec (CGCBV:HE) have told India Ports Global Pvt Ltd, which is developing the deepwater port in [Chabahar, Iran], they were unable to take part in the bids as their banks were not ready to facilitate transactions involving Iran due to uncertainty over U.S. policy…”  (Id.).

--

Cargotec is a cargo handling company that provides services for industrial, marine, harbor, and on-road cargo. Cargotec is based in Helsinki and had 2.6 billion euros in total sales in 2009. As of 2007 it is the world’s second largest crane manufacturer.

--

"A European machinery company that has received more than $1 billion in U.S. government contracts is coming under scrutiny after pictures emerged this week of its cranes being used to publicly execute individuals in Iran. The company, Cargotec, acknowledged to the Washington Free Beacon on Wednesday that its equipment is being used to publicly hang Iranian prisoners, but maintained that it is not responsible for directly selling the equipment to the Islamic Republic... Cargotec, via a Texas-based subsidiary called Kalmar, has long partnered with the U.S. government to provide equipment mainly to the Pentagon. These contracts have totaled around $1.21 billion as of November 2015, according to records compiled by the Federal Procurement Data System. Photographs of a Cargotec crane being used for an execution earlier this week were first published by Iranian-controlled websites and prompted criticism from groups such as United Against a Nuclear Iran, which has been waging a pressure campaign to stop companies from providing this type of equipment to Iran... 'We have seen numerous examples over the years of the Iranian regime using the cranes of brand-name companies to publicly execute people,' said Matan Shamir, UANI's executive director. 'Cargotec should follow the lead of other responsible companies and end its Iran business given the exploitation of its products to commit such egregious abuses.' A spokesman for Cargotec said that the company is 'sad' to see its products being used to help the Iranian regime execute its citizens. 'We are aware of the unfortunate situation where cranes have been used in public executions in Iran,' the spokesman said via email. 'We are naturally extremely sad to see these pictures and strongly judge this kind of action and behavior.' ... Criticism from groups such as United Against a Nuclear Iran has focused on companies such as Cargotec that also hold U.S. government contracts. These critics maintain that both the U.S. government and these companies should work harder to prevent Iranian human rights abuses. 'Given its lucrative business with the U.S. military, Cargotec should be even more sensitive to doing business with an avowed enemy of the United States that is responsible for killing hundreds of American soldiers,' said Shamir." (Free Beacon, "U.S. Contractor’s Cranes Being Used to Hang Iranians," 11/12/15) 

"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)

--

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).

--

"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)

--

"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)

--

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)

--

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)

--

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)

--

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)

Has said it will end its two projects in Iran by September due to “altered banking practices” resulting from the reimposition of U.S. sanctions; projects were undertaken between Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Engineering and Consulting jointly with Iranian rail operator Bonyad Eastern Railways and Iranian state railway RAI. ("German rail operator, Deutsche Telekom end Iran projects," Reuters, August 16, 2018.)

--

More recently, on July 29, 2017, following a meeting between the Iranian Minister of Transport Abbas Akhoundi and Germany’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries, the Tehran Times reported, “Akhoundi also held talks with Ronald Pofalla, the board member for infrastructure at Deutsche Bahn AG, who said transferring knowledge and technology to Iran is on the agenda.”  (Tehran Times, “Iran, Germany mull over expanding economic, banking ties,” 7/29/2017).

--

On May 21, 2017, the Financial Tribune reported that a “memorandum of understanding was signed between Iran’s Bon Rail Company, a rail passenger transport firm affiliated with Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation, and German rail company Deutsche Bahn AG on the sidelines of the Fifth International Exhibition of Rail Transportation, Related Industries and Equipment, which was held in Tehran on May 15-18.” (Financial Tribune, “Iran Signs Rail MoU With Deutsche Bahn,” 5/21/2017).

--

In May 2017, an MoU was signed between Iran’s Bon Rail Company, a rail passenger transport firm affiliated with Iran’s Mostazafan Foundation and Deutsche Bahn.

--

Deutsche Bahn AG is a leading transportation and logistics company with numerous subsidiaries. It operates transport networks via rail, land, ocean and air, for both passengers and freight. The company has annual revenues of around 30 billion euros, and is one of the largest companies of its kind in the world (Company Website). 

--

One of Deutsche Bahn AG's subsidiaries, DB Schenker, is a partner company of Meshkin Co Ltd (Subsidiary Website), a shipping company that operates exclusively out of Iran (Meshkin Website). Meshkin is responsible for a significant portion of Iranian exports shipping, and its website explains that "In the near future we will be witnessing a remarkable jump in petrochemical exports, made available from investments in the gas fields of South Pars" (Meshkin Website). 

--

Additionally, DB Schenker itself has an Iranian subsidiary, Delta Bar Int'l Transport and Shipping Services (Subsidiary Website). Delta Bar has an annual sales volume of $11 million (Business Monitor, subscription needed). 

Invensys is a multinational corporation which consists of Invensys Operations Management, Invensys Rail, and Invensys Controls. Invensys Operations Management, the largest division, is “a global technology, software and consulting organization” with over $2 billion in sales (Company Brochure).

--

Invensys Operations Management houses the Eurotherm brand of products, which are used in “life sciences, glass manufacturing, plastics, renewable energy and the heat treatment of metals” (Company Brochure). Eurotherm is represented in Iran (Eurotherm Brochure) and is listed as a past exhibitor for the 2009 Iran Oil Show (Iran Oil Show Website).

--

In its Code of Conduct, Invensys says, “We are committed to upholding human rights such as those enshrined in the UN Global Compact and the European Convention on Human Rights”, and instructs employees not to “seek to benefit from human rights abuses committed by someone else” (Invensys Code of Conduct).

In their 2010 10-k form to the SEC, World Fuel Services Corp. disclosed information regarding their ventures in Iran. 

"From time to time, certain of our subsidiaries have had limited business dealings in countries subject to comprehensive OFAC-administered sanctions, specifically Iran.  We provided to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), in response to an administrative subpoena, information regarding all transactions by the Company involving Iran. Pursuant to licenses issued by OFAC, Company subsidiaries purchase overflight permits from Iran. Payments for overflight permits are made to the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority. The Company's subsidiaries have also provided certain services (e.g., procuring ground handling services and landing permits and providing flight plans) and supplied fuel in connection with passenger flights to and from the country. the Company has recently discovered one instance in which one of its subsidiaries arranged for the sale of marine fuel to a Singapore-owned and operated vessel while it was at port in Bandar Abbas, Iran.  The Company recently supplied fuel in the United States to an Iranian government owned aircraft in connection with the Iranian government's participation at meetings of the United Nations." (10-K for WORLD FUEL SERVICES CORP, 2/25/2010)

--

A subsidiary of World Fuel Services Corp, Tramp Oil Marine and Aviation, lists in its directory that it is involved in fuel services with nine airports in Iran. "This booklet lists over 2,000 airports where Tramp Oil Aviation Ltd can offer jet fuel supplies on an into-plane basis." (Tramp Oil & Marine Website)

--

"The Bush administration's record enforcing export laws is mixed. The Office of Foreign Assets Control let the statute of limitations expire in at least 25 cases involving trade with Iran from 2002 to 2005, according to one internal department audit. The companies involved, disclosed to the AP under the Freedom of Information Act, include Acterna Corp., American Export Lines, Parvizian Masterpieces, Protrade International Corp., Rex of New York, Shinhan Bank, Phoenix Biomedical Corp., World Cargo Alliance and World Fuel Services...World Fuel Services said an employee fueled a ship out of Singapore that turned out to be Iranian-owned, and the U.S. government spotted it from a wire transfer." (The Daily Herald, "From bull semen to bras, Iran still buys American Products," 7/8/2008)

The search for the organizers of an airplane filled with North Korean weapons bound for Iran and detained in Thailand has led to a company in Hong Kong.

A company called Union Top Management Ltd., registered in Hong Kong, signed a contract this month to lease the cargo plane, according to documents obtained by arms-trafficking researchers in Belgium and the U.S.

Attempts to reach Dario Cabreros Garmendia, listed in public documents as Union Top Management's owner and director were unsuccessful. A Dario Cabreros signed a contract on behalf of Union Top Management on Dec. 4 to lease the plane.

A woman who answered the phone at an office in Hong Kong given on Union Top Management documents provided an email address for Mr. Garmendia. An email sent to the address was returned as undeliverable. Union Top Management's filings list a Barcelona, Spain, postal address for Mr. Garmendia.

Thai officials seized the Ilyushin-76 aircraft and its cargo -- missiles and guidance systems -- on Dec. 11, setting off an international hunt to determine its origins. The Union Top Management contract, and a flight plan, were revealed in a report by TransArms, of Chicago, and the International Peace Information Service, of Antwerp, Belgium. Both organizations study conflicts around the world, including how they are financed and supplied with weapons...

In the case of the plane, a secretary firm called Acota Ltd. in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district set up Union Top Management on Sept 1. From filings, it appears Mr. Garmendia took control of Union Top Management on November 10. (The Wall Street Journal, "Hong Kong Firm Leased Plane Carrying Weapons," 12/22/09)

As of August 27, 2019, Bombardier Inc is listed on the Illinois Investment Policy Board list of Iran restricted companies.

--

"Bombardier Inc. will not confirm a published report in Iran that the Canadian planemaker is finalizing its first commercial aircraft order in the Middle Eastern country. The Quebec-based company has acknowledged in the past that it was exploring opportunities in Iran." (1/17/2018)

--

"Qeshm Air is also negotiating an order for 15 Airbus A320 and A319 jets from the European manufacturer and another 10 planes from Canada’s Bombardier, he said." (“Qeshm Air in talks with Boeing on 20 jets: CEO,” Press TV (Iran), May 1, 2018.)

--

In Jan 2018, “Canadian planemaker Bombardier has submitted a draft contract for 10 brand-new CRJ-900 NextGen regional jets to Iran’s Qeshm Free Area Organization for review and finalization, Reza Baqerinejad, the CEO and Chairman of Qeshm Investment and Development Company told the Financial Tribune on Monday, noting that the final contract will be officially unveiled within a month.”

--

Bombardier Inc., and Iran’s Qeshm Free Zone Organization have almost finalized a deal for purchasing 10 passenger planes. The organization’s talks with Bombardier to purchase passenger plans were publicized in April 2016, when Pierre Beaudoin, executive chairman of Bombardier, a delegation to Iran. (Financial Tribune, “Ottawa to Finance Iran’s Bombardier Order,” 7/19/2017)

--

"Bombardier's CEO says that the company was a little late on chasing opportunities in Iran but should be able to catch up with its rivals following Canada's lifting of sanctions. "We started maybe a little bit behind but I'm pretty sure we're going to be able to catch up now," Alain Bellemare said in an interview. He said Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion's move earlier this year to lift sanctions has been useful in helping to gain market access. With teams on the ground now in Iran, Bellemare said he's not concerned about winning its share of new orders, although the process is challenging. The Montreal-based plane and train maker sees opportunities to sell regional rail services along with regional jets and CSeries planes as Iranian companies look to modernize." (The Canadian Press,  "Bombardier will catch up despite late start to gaining access in Iran, CEO says," 10/14/2016).

--

Bombardier is a “global transportation company,” which “leads the world’s rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry.” (Company Website)

--

"Among those that have publicly expressed interest in Iran is Canadian transportation company Bombardier Inc. 'Our role right now is to understand when sanctions could be lifted and how we could take advantage of a market we feel will be important for all of our products,' Pierre Beaudoin, Bombardier’s chief executive officer, said at a news conference after the company’s annual meeting on May 1." (Bloomberg News, "Iran Lures Investors Seeing Nuclear Deal Ending Sanctions," 8/17/14)

--

“The Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Company, (TUSRC), through the Chinese company CITIC, awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract for the in-house design, installation support and commissioning of a CITYFLO 350 solution for Lines 1 and 2.” (Company Press Release, 10/2/09)

--

“BCP [Bombardier CPC Propulsion System Co. Ltd.] is dedicated to the production, marketing, and maintenance of propulsion equipment for rail vehicles. In November 2003, BCP was awarded a Propulsion and Control System contract from CITIC for 105 metro cars for Extension Line of Tehran Metro Line 1 in Iran.” (Company Press Release, 10/15/07)