The United States has imposed sanctions on seven individuals and six entities in Iran, China and Hong Kong, accusing them of being part of a procurement network supporting Iran's missile and military programs.
“This network has conducted financial transactions and facilitated procurement of sensitive and critical parts and technology for key actors in Iran’s ballistic missile development,” including the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which is under US sanctions, and its affiliated organizations, the US Treasury Department said in a statement on May 6.
The individuals targeted by the new round of sanctions include Iran's defense attache in Beijing, Davoud Damghani, whom the Treasury accused of coordinating “defense-related procurements from the PRC for Iranian end-users, including MODAFL subsidiaries.”
“Today’s action reinforces our commitment to respond to activities which undermine regional stability and threaten the security of our key partners and allies,” said Brian Nelson, Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
“The United States “will continue to target illicit transnational procurement networks that covertly support Iran's ballistic missile production and other military programs," he added.
The announcement of the new sanctions comes hours after Iranian officials presented what they described as the Islamic Republic’s first domestically produced hypersonic ballistic missile.
Officials described the missile named Fattah, or “Conqueror” in Persian, as being able to reach 15 times the speed of sound.
Western military experts say that Iran’s officials sometimes give exaggerated figures for the capabilities of Iranian weapons.
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