Wilson Center: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard supported the Houthis with weapons, money and trainers – Al Amnaa Net

The Wilson International Center for Scholars and Policy and International Studies shed light on Iran’s armaments in the Middle East, including the Houthi militia in Yemen, noting that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has supplied the latter with weapons, training and financial support.

The center, which is classified as one of the most important research centers in the world and is based in Washington, said in a recent report – translated by “Newsyemen” – that Iran has established a network of agents throughout the Middle East, since the Khomeinist revolution in 1979.

He added: “By 2022, Tehran will have allies among more than a dozen major militias, some with their own political parties, that have challenged local and neighboring governments.”

The center said the United States had imposed sanctions on 11 Iranian-backed groups in five countries, and Washington had imposed sanctions on 89 leaders of 13 Tehran-backed groups, including dozens of Houthi leaders.

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Since the Khomeinist revolution of 1979, Iran has established a network of intermediaries throughout the Middle East. By 2022, Tehran had allies among more than a dozen major militias, some with their own political parties, challenging local and neighboring governments. The IRGC and Quds Force have provided weapons, training and financial support to militias and political movements in at least six countries: Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and Syria.

The United States has struggled to deal with Iranian proxies without military conflict. Since 1984, and through six consecutive presidencies, the United States has sanctioned Iran’s vast network of proxy militias in the Middle East to curb Tehran’s regional influence. The Trump administration increased the pace and scope of punitive economic measures between 2017 and 2021. But the sanctions haven’t really worked. In 2020, the State Department estimated that Iran was giving Hezbollah $700 million a year.

The Reagan administration first designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1984, but the Clinton administration was the first to impose sanctions on Iranian proxies. In 1995, the United States imposed sanctions on Hezbollah, a Shiite militia and political movement in Lebanon.

Between 1995 and 2022, five administrations—Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden—sanctioned 11 Iranian proxy groups in five countries. It also imposed sanctions on 89 leaders of 13 Tehran-backed groups.

* Clinton administration (1993-2001): Three groups (Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad) and six leaders.

* George W. Bush Administration (2001-2009): Three groups (Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad) and 14 leaders.

* Obama administration (2009-2017): one group (Hezbollah Brigades) and 34 leaders.

* Trump Administration (2017-2021): Six groups (Houthi, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Hezbollah al-Nujaba Movement, Zainabiyoun Brigade, Fatemiyoun Division, al-Ashtar and Saraya al-Mukhtar Brigades) and 32 leaders.

* Biden administration (2021 -): The Houthi group was removed from the sanctions list and three leaders were punished.

Between 2017 and 2020, the Trump administration imposed 40% of all these sanctions. It has sanctioned seven groups and 32 leaders linked to Iran. One of President Trump’s most important foreign policy goals has been to reduce Tehran’s regional influence and support for militant groups across the Middle East. “From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran is funding, arming and training terrorists, militias and other extremist groups that are spreading destruction, chaos and terror across the region,” he said in May 2017.

The following is a summary of US sanctions against Iran’s proxies in Yemen:

The United States imposed sanctions on two senior Houthi military leaders in 2014 and Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi in 2015. In November 2018 and September 2020, the Trump administration considered designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization to increase pressure on Iran.

The US Treasury has sanctioned the following Houthi leaders:

– Military commander Abd al-Khaliq al-Houthi: He was punished in 2014 for endangering and undermining peace and stability in Yemen, and in 2021 he was classified as a global terrorist.

– Abdullah Yahya Al-Hakim (Abu Ali Al-Hakem): He was punished in 2014 for endangering and undermining peace and stability in Yemen, and in 2021 he was classified as a global terrorist.

– Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi: He was punished in 2014 for endangering and undermining peace and stability in Yemen, and in 2021 he was classified as a global terrorist.

– Chief of the General Staff, Muhammad Abdul Karim Al-Ghamari: He was punished in 2021 for threatening and undermining peace and stability in Yemen.

– Military official Youssef Al-Madani: He was punished in 2021 for threatening and undermining peace and stability in Yemen.

The United States has also imposed sanctions on the following individuals, companies and organizations for their support of the Houthis:

– Saeed Al-Jamal: He was sentenced in 2021, because he used a smuggling network for fake companies to raise money for the Houthis in Yemen.

– Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud: He was punished in 2021 for playing the role of a financial intermediary for Saeed Al-Jamal. Mahmoud used his position as CEO of Adoon General Trading FZE to transfer large sums of money to El-Gamal.

– Adon General Trading Company FZE: was sanctioned in 2021 because it was owned and controlled by Houthi loyalist, Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.

– Addon General Trading Company LLC

– Manoj Sabharwal Company: Sanctioned in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al Jamal. The company also coordinated, on behalf of Al-Jamal, the transfer of Iranian oil shipments to the Middle East and Asia.

– Hani Abdel-Majid Muhammad Asaad: He was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal. He also managed Saeed El-Gamal’s financial affairs and collected revenue for Saeed El-Gamal’s cargo operations.

Jami Ali Muhammad: He was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal. Said al-Jamal also helped by facilitating deliveries of Iranian fuel and transferring money to the Houthis.

– Talib Ali Hussein Ahmed Al-Rawi: He was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal.

– Abdel-Jalil Mallah: He was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal.

– The company Swaid & Sons: It was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal. Swaid & Sons is a Yemen-based exchange firm linked to the Houthis. Talib Ali Hussain Ahmad Al-Rawi and Abdul-Jalil Mallah facilitated multi-million dollar transactions for Swaid & Sons. Said al-Jamal used Swaid & Sons to send millions of dollars to IRGC Quds Force officials in Yemen. He helped Al-Rawi transfer millions of dollars to Sweed & Sons. Mallah was responsible for facilitating the delivery of Iranian crude oil to Syria and the transfer of millions of dollars of Iranian crude oil to Hezbollah.

– Abdou Abdullah Dael Ahmed: He was punished in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal.

– Konstantinos Stavridis’ company: it was sanctioned in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Saeed El-Gamal.

– Moaz Abdullah Dael Import and Export Company: It was punished in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal. Dael transferred more than $10 million to Saeed El-Gamal, and worked with the Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud General Trading Company.

– Fanny Oil General Trading: sanctioned in 2022 for providing financial and material support, managed by Konstantinos Stavridis. Konstantinos Stavridis used the Fanny Oil General Trading Company to buy oil from Said al-Jamal, whose proceeds were transferred to the Houthis. Adoon and Inc., General Trading FZE were used to help facilitate the process.

– Ghaida Industrial General Trading Company: It was fined in 2022 because it was owned by Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.

– Al-Falak General Trading Company: It was fined in 2022 because it was owned by Abd Abdullah Dael Ahmed.

Beneficiary Ethalates Chemical Co.: Sanctioned in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Saeed El-Gamal. It is an exchange company that facilitated multi-million dollar transactions in support of Saeed El-Gamal.

– Al-Alamiya Express Exchange and Remittance Company: It was fined in 2022 because it is owned and managed by Abdo Abdullah Dael Ahmed. Al-Alamiya was used to transfer tens of millions of dollars to support the Houthis.

– Al-Hadha Exchange Company: It was fined in 2022 because it was owned and controlled by Abdo Abdullah Dael Ahmed. Said al-Jamal used the “lucky” company to transfer tens of millions of dollars to support the Houthis.

Aurum ship management company: fined in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Houthi Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.

– Light Moon Company: It was punished in 2022 because it was owned and managed by Houthi Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.

Chiranjev Kumar Singh: Punished in 2022 for acting directly or indirectly on behalf of Aurum.

Peridot Shipping and Trading Company: Sanctioned in 2022 for being owned and managed by Chiranjeev Kumar Singh.