Report: Spanish company allegedly aided Iran nuclear program

A Spanish company allegedly smuggled machinery into Iran, likely for use in the latter’s nuclear program, Reuters reports.

Spain’s tax agency raided the company’s premises thirteen days ago on Nov. 13 in an operation dubbed “Kakum.” The investigation of the company is ongoing and there have been no arrests.

Reuters, quoting a source close to the operation, said the company involved is ONA Electroerosion, which sent more than seven machines that aid in the production of energy plant turbines.

The machines are valued at nearly 1 million euros each, and their transfer required the use of a shell company in Istanbul, according to Spanish tax authorities. Once the machines had been shipped to Istanbul, they could then be shipped to Iran, bypassing sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

The company had previously been denied a license to export these machines to Iran in September 2009.

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