The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that that the Pentagon’s criminal investigation arm is probing allegations that Anham FZCO, a Dubai- and Virginia-based company awarded an estimated $8.1 billion contract to supply troops inside Afghanistan, has been moving some of its supplies through Iran.

The investigation was triggered by a previous Journal article, published in September, which revealed that the company had ‘used Iran’s Bandar Abbas seaport last year to land equipment and building materials that were then transported across Iran.’ The journal reported this week:

Anham’s actions may have violated strict U.S. sanctions laws that prohibit American entities from conducting trade with Iran or Iranian companies by moving materials through the country, Obama administration officials said.

The possible violations are likely to be read against ongoing policy debates regarding the costs and benefits of Senate legislation revealed last week by a bipartisan group of twenty-six lawmakers. The bill would impose new sanctions on Iran should the Islamic republic either violate the terms of the Joint Plan of Action (JPA) during an upcoming six-month negotiation period or refuse, at the end of that period, to put its nuclear program beyond use for weaponization.

The White House has threatened to veto the legislation, insisting that new sanctions are unnecessary, partly because it committed to enforcing existing sanctions. The administration will likely be pressured to meet those commitments should Anham be found to have violated U.S. restrictions.

[Photo: The U.S. Army / Flickr ]