The Treasury Department marked the 40th anniversary of the US Embassy takeover in Tehran by sanctioning nine members of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday. Newly designated individuals include Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei, judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi and Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, Khamenei's chief of staff. Treasury also sanctioned Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and its chief, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. Separately, the State Department added $20 million to a reward for information about former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in Iran 12 years ago.
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Aykan Erdemir — FDD Policy Brief
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced yesterday that it will sell its 10 percent stake in the Istanbul stock exchange after Turkey named as its CEO a Turkish banker convicted in U.S. court for his role in a multi-billion dollar scheme to evade Washington’s sanctions on Iran. Ankara’s move to reward a sanctions buster further strengthens the argument that Turkey has become a permissive jurisdiction for illicit finance. Read More