US Issues Iran-Related Sanctions against China-Based Entities

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
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US Issues Iran-Related Sanctions against China-Based Entities

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)
A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the US Treasury building in Washington, US, January 20, 2023. (Reuters)

The US on Tuesday imposed sanctions on entities and individuals in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China whom it accused of being part of an Iranian weapons procurement network, as President Donald Trump seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran.

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on six entities and two individuals in action taken in coordination with the Department of Justice, accusing them of responsibility for procurement of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components on behalf of a leading manufacturer for Iran's drone program.

"Iran’s proliferation of UAVs and missiles - both to its terrorist proxies in the region and to Russia for its use against Ukraine - continues to threaten civilians, US personnel, and our allies and partners," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

"Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran’s military-industrial complex and its proliferation of UAVs, missiles and conventional weapons that often end up in the hands of destabilizing actors, including terrorist proxies."

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tuesday's action targeted one Iranian-based entity and two people based in Iran, one entity based in China and four UAE-based entities, according to the Treasury statement.

The Treasury said it was the second round of sanctions targeting "Iranian weapons proliferators" since Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in order to help prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Trump's February memo, among other things, ordered Bessent to impose "maximum pressure" on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions.

Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

In his first 2017-21 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions.

Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment.

Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes.



Tehran Hints 360 Soldiers Killed in 12-Day War with Israel

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
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Tehran Hints 360 Soldiers Killed in 12-Day War with Israel

People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran (Reuters) 

Iranian Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi on Wednesday said close to 700 civilians were killed in Israeli attacks on Iran during the 12-day war that started on June 13.

His statements came two days after Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said the attacks killed over 1060 Iranians, indirectly hinting that at least 360 soldiers have been confirmed dead.

During a visit to a Tehran medical center, Zafarghandi said nearly 5,000 civilians were wounded in the Israeli attacks.

Checking on a 5-year-old Kian Ghasemian - a burn victim whose family was killed in the attacks - Zafarghandi described the Israeli strikes as “a savage and unjustifiable assault on defenseless people.”

The Minister said 18 members of medical staff, including six physicians, were among those killed in the airstrikes.

Zafarghandi noted that seven hospitals were directly targeted by Israel, and a number of medical centers were evacuated due to emergency circumstances.

Also, “Israel also hit 11 ambulances,” he said, adding all those Israeli actions were in violation of international principles, laws and human rights.

The minister’s new figures came shortly after Iran’s government has issued a death toll for its war with Israel, saying at least 1,060 people were killed and warning that the figure could rise.

Ohadi gave the figure in an interview aired by Iranian state television late Monday.

Figures show that around 360 soldiers were killed in the attacks, including 40 high-ranking leaders from the Revolutionary Guard.

During the war, Iran downplayed the effects of Israel’s 12-day bombardment of the country, which decimated its air defenses, destroyed military sites and damaged its nuclear facilities. Since a ceasefire took hold, Iran slowly has been acknowledging the breadth of the destruction, though it still has not said how much military materiel it lost.

The Washington-based Human Rights Activists group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, has said 1,190 people were killed, including 436 civilians and 435 security force members. The attacks wounded another 4,475 people, the group said.