US Targets Iraqi Tycoon in Move Against Iran Oil Exports (1)

The US imposed sanctions on an Iraqi tycoon accused of helping Iran evade restrictions on its oil exports, the latest in a series of moves targeting Tehran’s energy trade.

Treasury Department officials said Waleed al-Samarra’i, a dual Iraqi and St. Kitts & Nevis national, oversaw a fleet of vessels and shell companies that disguised Iranian oil as Iraqi crude before selling it abroad — generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually for Iran and its partners.

“Iraq cannot become a safe haven for terrorists, which is why the United States is working to counter Iran’s influence in the country,” Treasury ...