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VOA – The U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions Wednesday on procurement networks supporting Iran’s ballistic missile, nuclear and defense programs.
The networks are based in Iran, Turkey, Oman and Germany, according to the Treasury Department’s statement, and acquired carbon fiber, epoxy resins and other materials used in missiles.
According to Brian Nelson, the Treasury Department’s under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, the “complex covert procurement networks” enable Iran to perpetuate conflict and risk lives.
Iran is rife with sanctions regarding its nuclear program and missile production capabilities. Last month, the Treasury announced measures aimed at Iran’s ballistic missile and drone procurement programs.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, has accused Iran of stonewalling its oversight attempts. For years, Iran has refuted allegations that it is developing nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear activities are solely geared toward peaceful endeavors such as energy generation and medicine.
However, the IAEA’s director-general warned last year that Iran has enough enriched uranium and materials for several nuclear bombs.
The U.S. is particularly focused on Iran because of its connection and military support of its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Gaza Strip who have attacked U.S. and Israeli targets.
In a statement about the new sanctions, the U.S. Department of State said, “the United States is committed to using all available tools to expose and disrupt the networks supporting Iran’s reckless proliferation of weapons that destabilizes the Middle East and enables Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine.”
Some information for this report came from Reuters.
