US imposes sanctions on Iran, China entities over Iran’s ballistic missile programme

WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed sanctions on six entities and six individuals in Iran and China for their involvement in procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The sanctions target a network that has facilitated the transfer of key materials, including sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate, from China to Iran.

In a press statement released on Tuesday, the US Department of State said, “The United States is sanctioning six entities and six individuals based in Iran and China for their role in a network procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).”

BREAKING

The U.S. sanctions Chinese and Iranian networks for supplying missile propellant materials to Iran’s IRGC.

Treasury Secretary Bessent said Iran’s missile program threatens U.S. and regional security and violates global non-proliferation norms. https://t.co/GXx6xRep4X pic.twitter.com/LPNf4jc1AM

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The statement added, “Today’s action, which targets this network that has facilitated the procurement of sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate from China to Iran, is taken in support of the United States’ maximum pressure campaign to curtail Iran’s ballistic missile program and disrupt the activities of the IRGC, as outlined in the President’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 of February 4, 2025.”

The statement further said that the US will continue to hold accountable those who seek to advance Iran’s ballistic missile programme, to include its procurement of propellant ingredients used for ballistic missiles.

As per the US Department of Treasury, Sodium perchlorate is used to produce ammonium perchlorate, which is controlled by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a multilateral political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology. Both ammonium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate are chemicals usable in solid propellant rocket motors, which are commonly used for ballistic missiles.

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent emphasised that Iran’s development of missiles poses a significant threat to the safety and security of the United States.

“Iran’s aggressive development of missiles and other weapons capabilities imperils the safety of the United States and our partners. It also destabilises the Middle East, and violates the global agreements intended to prevent the proliferation of these technologies. To achieve peace through strength, Treasury will continue to take all available measures to deprive Iran’s access to resources necessary to advance its missile programme”, Bessent said. (ANI)