WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against two companies and four individuals involved in cyber attacks on behalf of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC). These actors targeted multiple U.S. companies and government entities through cyber operations, including spear phishing and malware attacks.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, expressed concern over the ongoing cyber threats, stating, “Iranian malicious cyber actors continue to target U.S. companies and government entities in a coordinated, multi-pronged campaign intended to destabilize our critical infrastructure and cause harm to our citizens.”
The Iranian government organization behind these cyber activities, the IRGC-CEC, operates through front companies such as Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik, which are utilized to target the United States and other countries. Nelson highlighted the use of private companies by the IRGC-CEC to achieve unlawful objectives, emphasizing the importance of public awareness regarding these practices.
Today’s sanctions were imposed under the authority of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, targeting individuals and entities for their involvement with the IRGC-CEC. The designated parties, including Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik, Dadeh Afzar Arman, Alireza Shafie Nasab, Komeil Baradaran Salmani, Reza Kazemifar Rahman, and Hosein Mohammad Haruni, are accused of acting on behalf of the IRGC-CEC.
As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities within the United States or in the possession of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Financial institutions and individuals engaging in transactions with these sanctioned parties risk exposure to further sanctions or enforcement actions.
The Treasury Department reiterated that the purpose of sanctions is to induce positive behavioral changes, and individuals or entities designated under OFAC regulations have the opportunity to seek removal from the sanctions list through a formal process.
For more information on the designated individuals and entities, interested parties can refer to the Treasury Department's official communication.
