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DE RUEHC #5554/01 0510021
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200017Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9912
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 015554
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC IR GM PREL PARM EFIN
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF FOUR ENTITIES AND ONE INDIVIDUAL
RELATED TO IRANS ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS
(IRGC) UNDER E.O. 13382
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph
three.
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SUMMARY
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2. (SBU) The United States designated four entities and
one individual related to the Iranian Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) on February 10, 2010, under Executive
Order (E.O.) 13382 (Blocking Property of Weapons of
Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters).
While consistent with the pressure track of the
Administrations (and other P5+1 members) two-track
Iran policy, these designations are also consistent with
existing and long-standing U.S. legal authorities and
requirements targeting the networks of entities that
support Irans proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. They do not signify an intention to
circumvent or prejudice efforts getting underway to pass
a new UN Security Council resolution on Iran and
implement new coordinated national measures that would
build on a new resolution. They intend to demonstrate
our commitment to the full implementation of our E.O.
13382 authorities and reiterate our concerns with the
IRGCs role in Irans policies of proliferation and
regional destabilization. We want to notify countries
of these designations and urge all governments to take
similar steps to prevent the IRGC from abusing the
international financial and commercial system to further
activities that could support Irans nuclear and missile
programs.
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OBJECTIVES/ACTION REQUEST
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3. (SBU) Posts are requested to pursue the following
objectives and pass the non-paper in paragraph four to
appropriate host government officials. The text of the
non-paper was published by the State Department as a
media note on February 10, 2010, and can be found at
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/02/136595.htm. It was
also published by the Treasury Department as a press
release on February 10, 2010, and can be found at
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg539.htm .
-- Inform host government officials of the U.S.
designations under E.O. 13382.
-- Notify host government officials that these
designations are part of our ongoing implementation of
existing sanctions under E.O. 13382 and demonstrate that
we will continue to implement laws and impose sanctions
to impede Iranian proliferation activities. These
designations are not meant to prejudice or circumvent
efforts to apply additional pressure on Iran through a
prospective new UN Security Council resolution on Iran
or any subsequent coordinated national measures against
Iran.
-- Note that while these designations are a result of
the IRGCs proliferation activities, the IRGCs growing
presence in Irans financial and commercial sectors; its
extensive economic interests in the defense production,
construction, and oil industries; its support for
terrorist groups; and its gross violations of human
rights during recent protests mean that host governments
should take appropriate steps to end any activities with
the IRGC and its related entities.
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BACKGROUND AND NONPAPER
-----------------------
4. (U) Begin text of non-paper:
Media Note
Treasury Targets Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
On February 10, 2010, the U.S. Department of the
Treasury took further action to implement existing U.S.
sanctions against Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard
STATE 00015554 002 OF 003
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF FOUR ENTITIES AND ONE INDIVIDUAL
RELATED TO IRANS ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS
(IRGC) UNDER E.O. 133
Corps (IRGC) by designating an individual and four
companies affiliated with the IRGC pursuant to Executive
Order (E.O.) 13382, which freezes the assets of
designated proliferators of weapons of mass destruction
(WMD) and their supporters. This action focuses in
particular on Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters,
an arm of the IRGC designated pursuant to
E.O. 13382 in 2007.
These designations include IRGC General Rostam Qasemi,
who is also the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya
Construction Headquarters, the engineering arm of the
IRGC that serves to help the IRGC generate income and
fund its operations. Khatam al-Anbiya is owned or
controlled by the IRGC and is involved in the
construction of streets, highways, tunnels, water
conveyance projects, agricultural restoration projects,
and pipelines. Treasury also today designated four
companies that are owned or controlled by, or that act
on behalf of, Khatam al-Anbiya.
As the IRGC consolidates control over broad swaths of
the Iranian economy, displacing ordinary Iranian
businessmen in favor of a select group of insiders, it
is hiding behind companies like Khatam al-Anbiya and its
affiliates to maintain vital ties to the outside world,
said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence Stuart Levey. Todays action exposing
Khatam al-Anbiya subsidiaries will help firms worldwide
avoid business that ultimately benefits the IRGC and its
dangerous activities.
The following are subsidiary companies that are owned or
controlled by Khatam al-Anbiya, or that act on its
behalf, and directly support various mining and
engineering projects:
-- Fater Engineering Institute
-- Imensazen Consultant Engineers Institute (ICEI)
-- Makin Institute
-- Rahab Institute
The IRGC has a growing presence in Irans financial and
commercial sectors and extensive economic interests in
the defense production, construction, and oil
industries, controlling billions of dollars of business.
The profits from these activities are available to
support the full range of the IRGCs illicit activities,
including WMD proliferation and support for terrorism.
The U.S. has previously acted against the IRGC and the
IRGC-Qods Force for their involvement in proliferation
and terrorism support activities, respectively. In joint
actions on October 25, 2007, the State Department
designated the IRGC, under E.O. 13382, for having
engaged, or attempted to engage, in proliferation-
related activities, and Treasury designated the IRGC-
Qods Force pursuant to E.O. 13224 for providing material
support to the Taliban and other terrorist
organizations. Treasury at that time also designated
nine IRGC-affiliated entities, including Khatam al-
Anbiya, and five IRGC-affiliated individuals as
derivative designations of the IRGC. Those entities and
individuals are:
-- Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters
-- Oriental Oil Kish
-- Ghorb Nooh
-- Sahel Consultant Engineering
-- Ghorb-e Karbala
-- Sepasad Engineering Co
-- Omran Sahel
-- Hara Company
-- Gharargahe Sazandegi Ghaem
-- General Hosein Salimi, Commander of the Air Force,
IRGC
-- Brigadier General Morteza Rezaie, Deputy Commander of
the IRGC
-- Vice Admiral Ali Akhbar Ahmadian, in his former
capacity as Chief of the IRGC Joint Staff
-- Brigadier Gen. Mohammad Hejazi, in his former
capacity as Commander of Basij resistance force
-- Brigadier General Qasem Soleimani, Commander of the
Qods Force
Elements of the IRGC have also been designated for UN
sanctions pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions
(UNSCRs) 1737 and 1747. All UN Member States are
required to freeze the assets of entities and
individuals listed in the Annexes of those resolutions,
or designated by the UNSCR 1737 Committee, as well as
STATE 00015554 003 OF 003
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF FOUR ENTITIES AND ONE INDIVIDUAL
RELATED TO IRANS ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS
(IRGC) UNDER E.O. 133
assets of entities owned or controlled by them or by
persons or entities acting on their behalf or at their
direction and to prevent funds or economic resources
from being made available for their benefit. The
European Union has also designated IRGC-affiliated
companies, including Khatam al-Anbiya, for their support
to Iranian ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
End text of non-paper.
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REPORTING DEADLINE
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5. (U) Please report delivery of the U.S. non-paper and
any response within seven days of receipt of this cable.
Please slug replies for ISN, T, TREASURY, and NEA/IR.
Please use SIPDIS caption on all responses. Reporting
cables should be slugged for desk officers.
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POINT OF CONTACT
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6. (U) Washington point of contact for follow-up
information is Kevin McGeehan, ISN/CPI, (202) 647-5408,
mcgeehankj@state.sgov.gov, and Jennifer Chalmers,
ISN/CPI, (202) 647-9715, chalmersja@state.sgov.gov.
7. (U) Department thanks Posts for their assistance.
CLINTON