IRNA -- The United States has sanctioned Malaysia-based Mahan Travel and Tourism Company for its links to Iran's airline Mahan Air, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said on its website on Monday.


Mahan Travel and Tourism, based in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, is subject to secondary sanctions under Iranian financial sanctions, according to OFAC, Sputnik reported.

This is not the first batch of US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines and companies associated with them, as Washington accuses them of providing services to terrorists and delivering proxy forces to Syria and Lebanon.

Previously, Washington already sanctioned Iran's airline Mahan Air, saying it transported 'operatives' of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, as well as weapons and equipment, to Syria.

Alongside Mahan Air, the US banned list already includes Caspian Air, Meraj Air, Pouya Air and Dena Airways.

In addition, the sanctions were imposed on two Iranian citizens linked to Dena Airways, Turkish businesswoman Gulnihal Yegane and three aviation-related companies allegedly providing assistance to Mahan Air.

According to the US Treasury Department, sanctions target the Iranian airlines, which are accused of providing services to terrorists and delivering proxy forces to Syria and Lebanon.

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin commented in this respect, saying that Mahan Airlines allegedly supports IRGC�s activities in the Middle East, regularly transporting weapons, foreign fighters and Iranian forces in a bid to support Assad government in Syria.

Noting that Mahan deadly role is evident for Washington, he said that US� move in the face of an independent company is clear; all ties with it should be broken.

He also warned the companies providing services to Mahan Airlines, saying that the move will entail big financial risk for them.