NY Times: Federal contract payments, grants, benefits amount to $107 billion.
By JPOST.COM STAFFIRISL 190(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski )
The White House indirectly paid $107 billion to companies defying itssanctions against Iran, the New York Times reported Sunday.Accordingto the report, records show that the US made contract payments and gavegrants and other benefits over the past decade to foreign andmultinational American companies that were doing business in theIslamic republic.The deals are reportedly continue during thecurrent administration, but already began under the previousadministration of George W. Bush.The Times says that some of the companies are embedded in critical aspects of the Iranian economy.Thepaper further reports that some of the companies are involved in Iran’sgas and oil sectors, as well as the auto industry and economic fieldswith close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.One of thecompanies, the Times reports, supplied ship motors to IRISL, thegovernment-owned shipping company which was specifically blacklisted bythe US.The vessel Francop, which was seized last year by the IDF Navy andcontained a massive amount of munition intended to reach Hizbullah,carried containers marked with the IRISL logo.The New YorkTimes also says that of 74 companies identified as doing business withIran, 49 have no intention of ceasing in the near future.
