Sputnik News- The US shipping firm Blue Sky Blue Sea has agreed to pay more than half-a-million dollars for violating sanctions against Iran 140 times, the Department of the Treasury�s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) � The shipping company appears to have violated the sanctions clause on 140 occasions by transshipping used and junked cars and parts from the United States to Afghanistan via Iran, the OFAC said.

"[OFAC] today announced a $518,063 settlement with Blue Sky Blue Sea, Inc., doing business as American Export Lines and International Shipping Company (USA) (collectively referred to as "AEL") of Los Angeles, California, to settle AEL�s potential civil liability for 140 apparent violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 560," the statement said.

The violations appear to have taken place between April 25, 2010, and June 2, 2012, the statement added.