State Department Sanctions Iran Shipping Line, Shanghai Subsidiary

The U.S. officially designated the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company Ltd., a June 8 State Department news release said. State in December announced its intention to sanction both IRISL and E-Sail (see 1912120024), but the agency said it postponed those designations for six months to allow exporters of humanitarian goods to find alternative shipping methods when exporting to Iran. “Now that this generous delay has come to an end, those in the commercial and maritime industries doing business with Iran must use carriers or shipping methods other than IRISL or E-Sail,” State said.

IRISL has “repeatedly” shipped items to Iran’s ballistic missile programs, the department said, and warned that “anyone doing business” with IRISL or E-Sail will be subject to sanctions. State also urged other countries to investigate “all IRISL and E-Sail activity in your ports and territorial seas and take appropriate action to put a halt to it.”