Tuesday, March 19, 2024
HomeARTICLESTehran’s despicable recruitment of child soldiers fires back at the regime

Tehran’s despicable recruitment of child soldiers fires back at the regime

Analysis by PMOI/MEK

 

Iran, Oct. 19, 2018 – In a recent tweet, US State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, “U.S. Treasury sanctioned a vast financial network supporting the Iran regime’s despicable practice of using child soldiers —as young as 12. The regime uses Afghan children as the ‘first wave’ in Syria, resulting in higher casualty rates.”

 

 

The U.S. sanctioned a vast financial network supporting the Iranian regime’s paramilitary Basij force for human rights abuses and other criminal practices

The U.S. Treasury sanctions encompassed 20 of the regime’s banks and companies, imposed under counter-terrorism regulations.

According to an AFP report, the U.S. sanctioned these banks and companies because of their support for the regime’s militias.

The list of sanctioned entities includes Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company (ITMC), Isfahan's Mobarakeh Steel Company, Bank Mellat, Mehr Eqtesad Bank, Parsian Bank. It is worth mentioning that Mehr Eqtesad Bank, which was previously named as Gharz-al Hasana Mehr Basijian, is associated with Bonyad-e Taavon Basij, which translates as Basij Cooperative Foundation.

Mehr Eqtesad Iranian Investment Company owns shares in Esfahan's Mobarakeh Steel Company, the largest steelmaker in the Middle East and North Africa region. Mehr Eqtesad Iranian Investment Company had also purchased shares in the ITMC in 2008.

In addition, Mehr Eqtesad also had shares in many other companies such as Iralco, Sadra, Jaber Ebne Hayyan Pharmaceutical Company.

The Treasury says that the IRGC’s Basij militia recruits, trains, and deploys child soldiers to fight in IRGC-fueled conflicts across the region.

“The Bonyad Taavon Basij network is an example of how the IRGC and Iranian military forces have expanded their economic involvement in major industries and infiltrated seemingly legitimate businesses to fund terrorism and other malign activities.  This vast network provides financial infrastructure to the Basij’s efforts to recruit, train, and indoctrinate child soldiers who are coerced into combat under the IRGC’s direction,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

 

The below list contains names of firms went under sanctions:

Andisheh Mehvaran Investment Company

Bahman Group

 Bandar Abbas Zinc Production Company

Mellat Bank

Bonyad Taavon Basij,

Calcimine company

Isfahan's Mobarakeh Steel Company

Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company (ITMC)

Iran’s Zinc Mines Development Company (IZMDC)

Mehr Eghtesad Bank

Mehr Eqtesad Iranian Investment Company

Negin Sahel Royal Company

Parsian Bank

Parsian Catalyst Chemical Company

Qeshm Zinc Smelting and Reduction Company

Sina Bank

Tadbirgaran Atiyeh Investment Company

Taktar Investment Company

Technotar Engineering Company

Zanjan Acid Production Company

 

RELATED ARTICLES

Selected

fd88217f-1f1b-4525-92f8-1ec00c750fc9_330
PMOI-MEk1-1

Latest News and Articles

No feed found with the ID 1. Go to the All Feeds page and select an ID from an existing feed.