US sanctions individuals, entities over alleged efforts to supply Iran with air defense systems

State Department designates 2 individuals, Nigeria-based firm that it says is tied to Iran’s MANPADS procurement

The US on Wednesday sanctioned two individuals and one entity accused of helping Iran obtain man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS).

The State Department said the designations “close off more of the channels Tehran uses to try to rebuild its arsenal and raise the risk for third-country brokers and suppliers.”

The department identified the targets as Mohammed Ali Tolibov, the CEO of Belarus-based Armoury Alliance; Nigeria-based Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited; and Russia-based Alisher Domullodzhanov.

Read: Americans said no to war, and we endorse this message: Iran's Ghalibaf

The department alleged that the network sought to facilitate the procurement of Chinese-origin MANPADS for Iran, including through the use of false end-users.

“The United States will keep exposing the networks that arm Iran’s military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and will keep denying the regime the resources that sustain its destabilising activities,” it said.

Iran's IRGC says two tankers and tugboat caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday that two oil tankers and a tugboat had caught fire in separate incidents after attempting to use unauthorised routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

One tanker struck a mine while attempting to cross a passage south of the strait, while another supertanker caught fire while exiting the route in the eastern part of the waterway, the IRGC said. A tugboat that approached the second vessel to help extinguish the fire also caught fire.