US removes counter-terrorism designation from IRGC-linked company
A Treasury Department official said that the removal of sanctions was not indicative of a shift in US policy towards Iran or the IRGC, or negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department lifted its sanctions against an Iraqi airline linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The airline, known as Fly Baghdad Airlines Co. (FBA), and two Boeing 737 aircraft operated by it were removed from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN). However, CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan Al-Shabbani remains under sanctions due to alleged ties to the IRGC.
Treasury Department officials stated that the removal of sanctions does not signify a change in US policy towards Iran or the IRGC, nor does it imply any negotiations to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The decision to delist FBA and its aircraft was part of the OFAC's process to reassess sanctions when there are changes in behavior, the official emphasized. The US retains the authority to reimpose sanctions on the airline at any time.
Fly Baghdad had been under US sanctions since 2024, following allegations that the airline supported IRGC operations by transporting weapons and personnel, including ballistic missiles, rifles, and other war supplies. The airline's CEO, Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan Al-Shabbani, was also sanctioned for his alleged connections to the IRGC. Despite the removal from the SDN list, FBA remains banned from the EU, as classified by the European Commission on the Air Safety List.
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- US removes sanctions from three IRGC-linked entities middleeasteye.net
