Belfast General Trading

Has acted on behalf of the Government of Iran to smuggle U.S. bank notes into Iran; collaborated with Azizullah Asadullah Qulandary, an Afghan national, and Seyed Kamal Yasini to deliver U.S. currency, in violation of U.S. sanctions; Yasini and Hossein Zeidi, both Iranian nationals, had been contracted to convert Iranian government funds and foreign currency into U.S. dollars. As of December 2014, had converted over $250 million in Iranian government assets into U.S. currency; the money was reportedly transported to Tehran from the United Arab Emirates by hand via courier.

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"The United States added nine individuals and entities to its Iran sanctions blacklist in a move condemned Wednesday by Tehran as a 'blatant violation' of goodwill amid long-running nuclear talks. The US Treasury named five men from Iran and elsewhere as well as Dubai-based Belfast General Trading for sanctions violations linked to efforts to support the Islamic republic's acquisition of US currency. It said Belfast General had converted more than $250 million of Iranian government-held currencies into dollar notes which were then delivered to Tehran." (Agence France-Presse, "US adds nine to Iran sanctions blacklist," 12/31/14)