The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it was targeting six entities and six individuals as part of the action, which comes as the Trump administration has relaunched negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
“Iran’s aggressive development of missiles and other weapons capabilities imperils the safety of the United States and our partners,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated.
“It also destabilizes the Middle East, and violates the global agreements intended to prevent the proliferation of these technologies. To achieve peace through strength, Treasury will continue to take all available measures to deprive Iran’s access to resources necessary to advance its missile program.”
Tuesday’s move targeted five China-based companies, one Iran-based firm and six Iran-based people. The Treasury accused the network of facilitating the procurement of sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate from China to Iran.
It added sodium perchlorate is used to produce ammonium perchlorate, which alongside dioctyl sebacate is usable in solid propellant rocket motors, which Treasury said is commonly used for ballistic missiles.
Tuesday’s move is the latest action targeting Tehran since Trump restored his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran.
They come despite the fact that Iran and the US have held three rounds of reportedly positive talks since early April to settle disputes about Tehran’s nuclear program. The indirect negotiations have been held in Oman’s capital, Muscat, and in Italy’s Rome under Oman’s mediation.
The United States has imposed sanctions on a network based in Iran and China that it accused of procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to increase pressure on Tehran. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it was targeting six entities and six individuals as part of the action, which comes as the Trump administration has relaunched negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program (Read more at Iran Front Page).