A total of 90 docks have been taken over by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards
Corps (IRGC), which is using them to circumvent sanctions and fund terrorist
activities in the Middle East and beyond, according to the anti-regime People’s
Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
“Based on the direct order of the
current supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, no authority is allowed to oversee the
activities of the IRGC at border areas, be it on the ground, sea or air, and it
can import anything in any quantity without paying any customs fee,” PMOI
officials said in a statement provided to Fox News. “The IRGC uses these docks
for its unlawful activities.”
The PMOI adds that in order to fund
its activities, the Revolutionary Guard engages in smuggling oil, gas, chemical
products, cigarettes, narcotics, alcohol, mobile phones, pharmaceuticals,
hygiene material and energy drugs and supplements.
The importing and exporting of
these illicit goods has allowed the IRGC to net $12 billion annually, the group
estimates.
Trade vessel under direct control
of the Guard uses these docks to transfer the goods and other equipment and
even arms to other countries away from the eyes of international supervision.
“These docks play a key role in the
regime’s efforts to evade sanctions," said MEK officials. “Investigations
by PMOI sources within the regime concluded that unlawful exports of arms to
proxy forces in the region are carried out through these docks.”
These PMOI sources helped to
identify three organizations – Admiral Group, Hafez Daya Arya and Valfajr - as
shipping companies being used as fronts for smuggling weapons to other
countries throughout the region, in particular, Yemen.
Since most Yemani docks are closed
to Iranian ships, the IRGC’s shell companies began using ports in nearby Oman
to smuggle weapons into Yemen. The PMOI alleges that they primarily used Soltan
Qaboos Port in Muscat, Sohar Port in North Oman and Salalah Port in South Oman.
For the rest of their operations, the guard is
operating in ports in the Hormozgan and Bushehr Provinces along the
Persian Gulf, as well as, the Farsi and Faror Islands, the group charged.
Comments
Post a Comment