The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on six firms in Hong Kong and mainland China for allegedly supplying components to Iran’s drone and missile programmes in violation of US bans.
The firms acted as fronts to acquire American parts for Iranian military companies, which in turn supplied weapons to Russia and militant groups, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
The US had already sanctioned two other Hong Kong firms earlier in February.
The sanctioned firms could face asset seizures, visa restrictions and penalties while any financial institution dealing with them could risk secondary sanctions.
“Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers,” treasury secretary Scott Bessent said.
China denounced the sanctions as illegal and insisted that its cooperation with Iran was legitimate.
The Treasury claimed that the Hong Kong entities procured components for Iranian firm Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra and its subsidiary, Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatis, which were known for supplying Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programmes and remained under US sanctions.
“Today’s action, which is part of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign on the Iranian regime, aims to disrupt efforts by the Iranian entity Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra to reconstitute its procurement network and continue obtaining critical parts from foreign suppliers,” a statement by the State Department said.
The US, it said, “will use all available means to expose and disrupt Iran’s growing UAV and missile development and proliferation, which destabilizes the Middle East and beyond”. “We will continue to act against the complex schemes Iran employs to conceal its acquisition of sensitive technology for its missile and UAV programs. These programs produce missiles and drones that Iran uses against our allies and exports to its terror proxy groups and Russia.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing’s relations with Tehran did not harm other countries but did not directly address the alleged use of front companies.
“China and Iran’s normal cooperation within the framework of international law is reasonable and legal,” Liu Pengyu, embassy spokesperson, said. “China has always firmly opposed the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens.”
Earlier this week, the US sanctioned dozens of individuals and oil tankers across China, the UAE, India, and other countries for allegedly financing Iran. The sanctions targeted more than 30 individuals and vessels involved in brokering and transporting Iranian oil.
