U.S. sanctions target Iran missile program enablers

Investing.com - The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on six individuals and 12 entities for their involvement in the Iranian regime’s efforts to domestically produce materials crucial for Tehran’s ballistic missile program. The sanctioned parties are associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its sub-organizations, which are focused on developing carbon fiber materials for intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Today’s actions are in line with National Security Presidential Memorandum-2, aiming to prevent Iran from obtaining intercontinental ballistic missiles and to disrupt the IRGC’s destabilizing activities. The sanctions target those aiding Iran’s attempts to self-source critical materials for its military programs.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent stated, "The United States cannot allow Iran to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles. We remain strongly committed to disrupting these schemes and holding accountable those who enable Iran’s military adventurism."

Among the designated sub-organizations are the IRGC Aerospace Force Research and Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization (IRGC ASF RSSJO) and IRGC Research and Self Sufficiency Jehad Organization (IRGC RSSJO), previously sanctioned by the U.S. Department of State in 2017 for contributing to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Iran-based Advanced Fiber Development Company (AFDCO) is implicated in efforts with the IRGC ASF RSSJO to indigenize carbon fiber manufacturing for military use. Mohammad Rezai, a key figure in this operation, is connected to both AFDCO and the OFAC-designated Kish Mechatronics Co.

Hamed Dehghan, also sanctioned, coordinates the procurement of carbon fiber and missile components for the IRGC ASF RSSJO through both AFDCO and Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra LLC (PKGB). Other Iran-based entities, including Sarmand Sazeh and Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatis (NSMI), are implicated in these procurement activities.

Additionally, Chinese nationals Qin Jinhua, Qin Dehui, and Wang Chao, executives of Shanghai Tanchain, are designated for their roles in exporting proliferation-sensitive materials to Iran. Shanghai Tanchain, along with its subsidiaries Nantong Tanchen and Nantong Yihong, and other related Chinese companies, are similarly designated.

As a result, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities that are within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transacting with them. Moreover, foreign financial institutions risk secondary sanctions for knowingly facilitating significant transactions for the designated persons.

This action, taken under Executive Order 13382, reflects the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to apply economic pressure on those supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program and to safeguard national and regional security. The information is based on a press release statement.

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