Washington: The United States has sanctioned one individual and four entities in Iran who are alleged to be part of a covert military procurement operation, the US Department of the Treasury announced on Wednesday.
“Today, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned an Iran-based procurement agent and his network of companies that procured ballistic missile propellant-related materials for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Research and Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization (IRGC RSSJO), the Treasury Department said in a statement.
The sanctions target Mohammad Ali Hosseini, the agent used to procure ballistic missile fuel and related materials for the IRGC RSSJO, and an alleged network of the companies Sina Composite, Sepehr Delijan and Jestar Sanat.
The US government alleges that IRGS RSSJO is the unit responsible for Iran’s ballistic missile development program. In addition, the United States imposed sanctions on Parchin Chemical Industries (PCI), which is said to be affiliated with Iran’s publicly owned defense contractor, and an intermediary, P.B. Sadr Co.
The sanctions allow the US government to seize all assets owned by the designated individuals and entities in the United States, should there be any, and prohibit US and foreign entities with engaging in financial transactions with them.
The Treasury Department said the announcement follows an Iranian missile strike on Erbil, which the IRGC claimed targeted two Mossad training centers for Israeli forces, assaults by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi targets.Â
