On the 3rd of August, the US-Treasury put 21 several Iranian companies on their sanctions list. Nine of them based in Germany. With this step the U.S. wants to avoid that the Islamic Republic violates existing sanctions.Nine of the sanctioned Iranian companies are registered in Germany, seven in Düsseldorf. Five of these companies belong to the Ascotec Holding GmbH.
The Ascotec Holding GmbH [established in 1990] is owned by the Iranian regime and is subordinate to the Iranian Ministry of Industries and Mines (IMIDRO).
Apart from exporting metals to Iran, Ascotec is – according to the NCRI (National Council of Resistance of Iran) – deeply involved in the procurement of goods for Iran’s air and Space Company, which is involved in the missile program of the Iranian regime. Moreover, the company should maintain active working relations with the NSC (Nationwide Security Council).
According to statements of the NCRI (Nationwide Council of Resistance of Iran), these companies play an essential role in the procurement of military goods for the Iranian regime.
Three of these companies are registered in Düsseldorf: Besides the Ascotec GmbH the smaller enterprises Farzanegan Co and Persia System Co.
Since year 2001, the Iranian enterprises in Germany had close contacts with the Iranian
Ministry of Defense.
It is believed that Ascotec exported maraging steel to Iran, which is required for the construction of centrifuges. A representative of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Europe said: “Ascotec works under the supervision of Khoozestan steel mill company and has been involved in smuggling of maraging steel and some other parts.”
The Ascotec GmbH was founded in 1990 by the Iranian Ahwaz Steel Company in Düsseldorf. At that time the company was called AHWAZ STEEL Commercial & Technical Services GmbH Ascotec. Today, with an annual turnover of 650 million €, Ascotec has become one of the most important departments of IMIDRO. Since 2007 Ascotec is a holding company and in 2008 had a capital stock of 20 million €. (Source: Commercial register entry October, 2008.)
In the commercial register entry the object of the company is described as follows:
1. The holding and the acquisition of companies and corporate shares as well as investments in other companies.
2. Establishment of relations with technical education.
3. Provision of services in the area of technical services.
4. Import, export, wholesale and retail, as well as representation and commission of goods of all kinds (Commercial register entry September 2007).
Ascotec has subsidiaries in Japan, China, Luxembourg, Italy and Kuwait:
The executive staff of the company solely consists of Iranians. Since 2007, Ahmad Karami is the CEO of Ascotec. The commercial register also mentions the names of Abdolmajid Sharifi and Seyed Mohammad Reza Najmossadat
Exports Iranian steel products of the affiliated steel factories of National Iranian Steel Company (NISCO) (NISCO’s major steel plants include Mobarakeh Steel Company, Khouzestan Steel Co., Esfahan Steel Co., and Iran Alloy Steel Co.); affiliated with Ascotec Japan K.K. (a.k.a. Ahwaz Steel Comm & Tech Services Branch Japan), Breyeller Kaltband GmbH (BKG) (Germany), Breyeller Stahl Vertrieb und Verwaltung Gesellschaft mbH (BSG) (Germany), Breyeller Spalt und Service Center GmbH (BSSC) (Germany), Esfahan Steel Co. (ESCO) (Iran), Industrial Commercial Services Co. (ICS) (Russia), Irasco SRL (IRASCO) (Italy), Mines & Metals Engineering GmbH (MME) (Germany), Metal & Mineral Trade Sarl (MMT) (Luxembourg), and United Steel Industrial Co. (K.S.C.C.) (UNISTEEL) (Kuwait); maintains branches in Tehran (Ascotec Tehran – Ahwaz Steel Comm & Tech Services and MME Tehran – Mines & Metals Engineering) and Ahwaz (MME Ahwaz – Mines & Metals Engineering);
Source: / stopthebomb /