The Wilson Center: The Iranian Revolutionary Guards supported the Houthis with weapons, money, and trainers
English - Wednesday 28 December 2022 الساعة 08:29 am
NewsYemen, special translation:
The Wilson International Center for Scholars and Political and International Research has shed light on Iran's arms in the Middle East, including the Houthi militia in Yemen, stressing that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has provided 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 ten major militias, some with their own political parties, that have challenged local and neighboring governments."
The center stated that the United States imposed sanctions on 11 groups operating under Iranian proxy in five countries, and Washington imposed sanctions on 89 leaders of 13 groups supported by Tehran, including dozens of Houthi leaders.
Report text:
Since the Khomeinist Revolution in 1979, Iran has established a network of proxies throughout the Middle East. By 2022, Tehran had allies among more than a dozen major militias, some with their own political parties, that challenged 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 Iran's proxies without military confrontation. Since 1984, and through six successive presidencies, the United States has sanctioned Iran's vast network of proxy militias in the Middle East to contain Tehran's regional influence. The Trump administration increased the pace and scope of punitive economic measures between 2017 and 2021. But the sanctions didn't quite work. In 2020, the State Department estimated that Iran gives Hezbollah $700 million annually.
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 Iran's 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 groups backed by Tehran.
* 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 (Houthis, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Hezbollah al-Nujaba Movement, Zainabiyoun Brigade, Fatemiyoun Division, al-Ashtar Brigades, and Saraya al-Mukhtar) and 32 leaders.
* The Biden administration (2021 -): The Houthi group was removed from the sanctions list and punished three leaders.
Between 2017 and 2020, the Trump administration imposed 40% of all those 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," he said in May 2017, "Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction, chaos, and terror across the region."
The following is a summary of US sanctions on Iran's proxies in Yemen:
The United States imposed sanctions on two senior Houthi military leaders in 2014 and the Houthi leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, in 2015. The Trump administration considered designating the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization in November 2018 and in September 2020 to ramp up pressure on Iran.
The US Treasury Department sanctioned the following Houthi leaders:
- Military commander Abd al-Khaliq al-Houthi: He was punished in 2014 for threatening 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 threatening 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 threatening 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 punished in 2021, for using a smuggling network for front companies to raise money for the Houthis in Yemen.
- Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud: He was punished in 2021 for playing the role of financial intermediary for Saeed Al-Jamal. Mahmoud used his position as Managing Director of Adoon General Trading FZE to transfer large sums of money for El-Gamal.
- Adon General Trading Company FZE: It was sanctioned in 2021, for being owned and controlled by the Houthi loyalist, Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.
- Addon General Trading Company L.L.C.
- Manoj Sabharwal Company: It was 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 shipments of Iranian oil 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 the financial affairs of Saeed El-Gamal and collected revenues for Saeed El-Gamal's freight 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 shipments 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.
- Swaid & Sons Company: It was punished in 2021 for providing financial and material support to Saeed Al-Jamal. Swaid & Sons is a Yemen-based exchange company linked to the Houthis. Talib Ali Hussain Ahmad Al-Rawi and Abdul-Jalil Mallah facilitated multimillion-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 shipment of Iranian crude oil to Syria and transferring millions of dollars of Iranian crude oil to Hezbollah
Allah.
- 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 Company for Import and Export: 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 Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud General Trading Company.
- Fanny Oil General Trading: Sanctioned in 2022, for providing financial and material support, and being managed by Konstantinos Stavridis. Konstantinos Stavridis used the General Trading Company Fanny Oil to purchase oil from Said al-Jamal, the proceeds of which 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 punished in 2022 for being owned by Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.
- Al-Falak General Trading Company: It was punished in 2022 for being owned by Abd Abdullah Dael Ahmed.
- Grantee Ethalates Chemical Co.: It was sanctioned in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Saeed El-Gamal. It is an exchange company that has facilitated multimillion-dollar transactions in support of Saeed El-Gamal.
- Al-Alamiya Express Company for Exchange and Remittances: It was punished in 2022 for being owned and operated by Abdo Abdullah Dael Ahmed. Al-Alamiya was used to move tens of millions of dollars in support of the Houthis.
- Al-Hadha Exchange Company: It was punished in 2022 for being owned and controlled by Abdo Abdullah Dael Ahmed. Said al-Jamal used the "fortunate" company to move tens of millions of dollars in support of the Houthis.
Aurum Ship Management Company: Sanctioned in 2022 for providing financial and material support to Houthi Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.
- Light Moon Company: It was punished in 2022, for being owned and operated by the Houthi Abdo Nasser Ali Mahmoud.
- Chiranjev Kumar Singh: Sanctioned in 2022 for acting directly or indirectly on behalf of Aurum.
- Peridot Shipping and Trading Company: Sanctioned in 2022, for being owned and operated by Chiranjeev Kumar Singh.
