US sanctions Chandigarh couple and Turkish firm over alleged Iran support

The US Treasury on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on people and companies in India and Turkey, accusing them of helping Iran dodge restrictions. The targets include Chandigarh-based Suniel Kumar Sharma, his wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, two other Indian citizens who run businesses tied to the couple, and nine entities linked to Sharma. Turkey-based Fugo Ground Services Inc was also named.

Treasury says the Indian network sold fake "flags" and certificates to sanctioned ships carrying Iranian oil, including vessels working for Iran's military and its proxies. According to the department, the couple falsely claimed to act for countries such as Guyana, Eswatini and Laos. It says they bought web domains and built websites offering flagging, seafarer training, certification and vessel classification in those names. A web of India-based firms was allegedly used to set up fraudulent flag registries.

Why does a fake flag matter? A ship's flag and its certificates show it meets safety and environmental rules. Treasury says vessels with false papers can slip past those rules and carry no indemnity insurance. If one of them causes a spill or accident, the coastal country could face damages running into billions of dollars with nobody to pay.

The Turkish company is accused of a different kind of help. Treasury says Fugo Ground Services provided ground handling and other services to US-sanctioned Iranian airlines still flying into Turkey, naming Iran Air Tour, Saha Airlines, Taban Airlines and Ata Airlines. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement: "We know where you are, and we will sanction those who continue supporting the Iranian regime, whether by land, sea, or air."

The action falls under the Trump administration's "Operation Economic Outcast," which aims to choke off Iran's oil income. It follows the US reimposition of a blockade on Iranian ports on July 14. Treasury also issued an alert from its Office of Foreign Assets Control warning industry about the sanctions risk of dealing with potentially false-flagged vessels. Shipping firms, insurers and port operators are the intended audience.

The timing is politically charged. The announcement came a day after Democrats won both houses of Congress in midterm elections, with voters voicing anger over the Iran war and its role in pushing up US prices. President Donald Trump acknowledged on Wednesday that the war and the jump in gasoline costs hurt his party, but said the conflict was worth it. Oil prices fell sharply in choppy trading as investors weighed the chance of a war's end.

Brett Erickson of Obsidian Risk Advisors read the move as a signal of escalation. "Even after a brutal electoral defeat, Washington appears unwilling to take even the smallest step toward de-escalation," he said. Treasury claims its pressure is wrecking Iran's economy, with the rial at record lows and inflation near 90%.

Read the original report at Hindustan Times.

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