The US has sanctioned two Singapore-based companies, Mid Oil Asia Pte Ltd and Singa Tankers Pte Ltd, under US Executive Order (EO) 13645 which authorises the implementation of certain sanctions set out in the US' Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 and additional sanctions with respect to Iran. These are unilateral sanctions imposed by the US as part of their domestic legislation on individuals and companies for involvement in evading US sanctions against Iran and for providing support for Iran's nuclear programme. They are above and beyond the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) which are mandatory on all UN members.
We do not have sufficient information to comment on the two specific companies and their involvement with Iran. We are also not in a position to enforce the laws of other countries. However, given the importance of the US in the world economy, we expect companies with dealings with countries subject to unilateral US sanctions will take notice of these and other prior cases and make their own calculations and decisions based on how this might impact on their own commercial interests.
Singapore takes a very serious view of the need to deal with the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction which poses an existential threat to a small city state like us. As such, Singapore has given full effect in our own domestic legislation to the measures prescribed by the UNSC and will continue to take action against individuals and companies that flout UNSC resolutions. We will also extend our full cooperation within our laws to other countries in this common endeavour.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
13 DECEMBER 2013