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embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan are within the scope of the city’s ‘urban development plan’. Also, a piece of land belonging to the Iranian embassy in Tirana, Albania, initially purchased for the construction of the embassy's residence, is said to be unsuitable for the purpose, while five apartments owned by Iran’s mission in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, are on the ministry's for sale list.
Iran has dozens of embassies globally, with the vast majority of prime properties purchased during the time of the last Shah prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In recent years, Iran has sought to offload properties including valuable assets in London's Kensington district, where a proposed futuristic-looking Iranian embassy was rejected by planners and objected to by Prince Charles. Americans claiming to be victims of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism—with such claims typically made in the US courts even when the terrorist atrocity has no provable direct relation to Iran—have also sought to achieve the sale of Iranian state-owned properties abroad. US plaintiffs have attempted to obtain legal orders making them cashable assets from which compensation payments can be drawn.
9.1.10 ​Metallurgy & mining sector news
Iran, Russia sign engineering and mining MoU
US tightens sanctions screw on Iran’s metals sector
The Iranian Mining Engineering Organisation (IMEO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Russian Export Centre (REC) to expand cooperation in engineering and mining, IRNA reported on August 18.
Discussions on such a cooperation have been taking place for months. Russian firms are looking to use technology and knowhow to boost Iranian mining production and potentially export resulting additional output to Russia. The MoU was signed in Tehran by the head of IMEO, Taki Nabaii, and head of the REC, Pavel Bukhanov.
Nabaii said: “According to this memorandum, the ground will be prepared for the development of cooperation between Iran and Russia. The two countries have good opportunities in the mining industry.”
He added that the REC would help Iran import mining equipment.
The US Treasury Department on June 25 blacklisted four companies in Iran’s metals sector, as well as one German and three Emirati subsidiaries of Iran’s largest steelmaker Mobarakeh Steel Company.
In a statement, the Treasury Department added that the sales agents together generated tens of millions of dollars annually from foreign sales of Mobarakeh Steel Company products, contributing to billions of dollars generated overall by Iran’s steel, aluminium, copper and iron sectors.
“The Iranian regime continues to use profits from metals manufacturers and foreign sales agents to fund destabilizing behavior around the world,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.
The sanctions are the latest US effort to tighten the screw on Iran. The latest sanctions action targeted Tara Steel Trading, a Germany-based subsidiary of Mobarakeh Steel Co; United Arab Emirates-based sales agents Pacific Steel FZE, Better Future General Trading Co and Tuka Metal Trading, all majority-owned by Mobarakeh Steel Co; and Iran-based Metil Steel, also majority-owned by the company.
Mobarakeh Steel Co, previously blacklisted by Washington, accounts for 1% of Iran’s GDP, the Treasury said.
The Treasury also blacklisted Iran-based aluminium, steel and iron producers
54​ IRAN Country Report September 2020 www.intellinews.com