Intel: US sanctions Iran shipping line after humanitarian deferral ends

The Donald Trump administration sanctioned an Iranian shipping line and its Chinese subsidiary today after a six-month humanitarian deferral period ended.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first announced sanctions on Mahan Air alongside the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Company Ltd (E-Sail), in December. Pompeo noted in a statement today that the Trump administration delayed the IRISL and E-Sail sanctions for six months “to allow exporters of humanitarian goods to Iran sufficient time to find alternate shipping methods.”

“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,” said Pompeo. If not, humanitarian exporters could run afoul of US nonproliferation sanctions on Iran.

Why it matters: While the Treasury Department maintains a formal sanctions exemption for humanitarian trade with Iran, the sanctions on E-Sail are likely to pose another obstacle to Tehran’s ability to import food and medicine.