Company licensing Dutch supermarket brand Spar accused of helping Iran evade sanctions
The Dutch supermarket chain Spar has been implicated in an alleged scheme to help Iran bypass international sanctions, de Volkskrant reported. According to internal documents leaked by a whistleblower, the license for Spar Iran was used to facilitate questionable transactions involving members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a heavily sanctioned group linked to human rights abuses.
In August 2022, Dutch Ambassador Frank Mollen visited a Spar supermarket in Tehran, promoting it as an example of successful business engagement with Iran. However, documents obtained by de Volkskrant reveal that even before Mollen's visit, Spar Iran was allegedly involved in dubious activities. Transactions under Spar’s name reportedly included importing Western technology and granting Schengen visas to individuals tied to the IRGC, raising concerns about compliance with sanctions.
The IRGC, responsible for suppressing protests and other human rights violations, is among the most heavily sanctioned entities in Iran. While food and medicine are exempt from sanctions, transactions linked to the IRGC are strictly prohibited. Evidence suggests that Spar Iran’s local operator, Blue River, facilitated trips for relatives of high-ranking Iranian officials under the guise of legitimate business travel.
Blue River, which managed Spar operations in Iran, allegedly acquired Western equipment, such as HP servers and laptops, under false pretenses. These items, often destined for data centers, were labeled as essential for supermarket operations. Security experts noted that such technology is unnecessary for a small grocery chain.
Further concerns arose with Spar Iran’s introduction of S-Pay, a voucher system allowing Iranians abroad to send credits to family members in Iran. Although technically permissible, leaked emails indicate alleged plans to convert these vouchers into cash, potentially breaching sanctions.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged awareness of the allegations but declined to comment on specifics. Blue River did not responded to requests for comment.
Spar International initially dismissed the whistleblower’s claims, labeling them as a business dispute within Blue River. However, following media inquiries, the company confirmed it had terminated Blue River’s license and conducted an internal investigation. Spar claims it found no direct sanctions violations but identified "irregularities" in Blue River’s operations that breached its licensing agreement.
"SPAR International understands that a legal dispute between Blue River Retail and former members of its management team is currently being investigated by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Vienna and will not comment further on this matter as an external party," the Amsterdam-headquartered company wrote in a statement.
The Spar Iran website was still online as of Monday afternoon, as was the website for the Spar Iran Academy. The latter offers courses in human resources development.
