NICOSIA — The Cypriot interior minister said Wednesday the government was revoking the passport of Syrian tycoon Rami Makhlouf because of EU sanctions imposed against him over the crackdown in Syria.

Neoclis Sylikiotis told journalists that as soon as he was informed by the foreign minsitry that Makhlouf, a cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was on the blacklist, he “gave immediate instructions to start proceedings to revoke” his Cypriot nationality.

Rami was only granted citizenship on January 4, after the cabinet approved a request from the foreign ministry based on his having met the special criteria to obtain a passport.

Prior to that, he received a permanent migration permit in October 2009.

There was no indication that Makhlouf is currently on the island.

The authorities agreed in 2007 that foreign nationals could receive Cypriot nationality under certain criteria, that include business activity in Cyprus, private home ownership, a minimum of 17 million euros in a Cypriot bank and a clean criminal record, said Sylikiotis.

The minister went on the record after unfavourable media reports about Assad’s cousin being granted a passport.

Makhlouf is owner of Syriaâ€™s largest mobile phone company, Syriatel, and also owns several large construction and oil firms.

The EU has already adopted three sets of sanctions against Syrian officials, including the president, as well as businesses, and officials in neighbouring Iran, which has been accused of aiding the Syrian crackdown.