US Imposes Fresh Iran-related Sanctions

Iran

December 3rd, 7:10pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

FILE PHOTO: The north side of the US Treasury Building in Washington February 22, 2001. File Photo

The United States on Thursday imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions, blacklisting an entity and an individual. The US Treasury Department in a statement said that it had slapped sanctions on Shahid Meisami Group and its director, saying it is involved in Iran’s chemical weapons research and is subordinate to the Iranian Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, also known as SPND. Washington designated SPND in 2014 in connection with the Iranian regime’s proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction or their means of delivery. The Shahid Meisami Group has been responsible for numerous SPND projects that include testing and producing chemical agents and optimizing them for effectiveness and toxicity for use as incapacitation agents. “Iran’s development of weapons of mass destruction is a threat to the security of its neighbors and the world,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States will continue to counter any efforts by the Iranian regime to develop chemical weapons that may be used by the regime or its proxy groups to advance their malign agenda.” Thursday's action freezes any US assets of those blacklisted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. The Treasury also said that financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions with the targeted individual and entity run the risk of being hit with US sanctions.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2662611/us-imposes-fresh-iran-related-sanctions