Washington: The United States has announced sweeping sanctions on 32 individuals and entities spread across India, Iran, China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye and two others, accusing them of running complex procurement networks that fuel Iran’s expanding ballistic missile and drone programmes.
In a statement released by the State Department, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Tommy Pigott said these sanctions are aimed at disrupting systems that directly support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its military production lines.
“These networks sustain Iran’s efforts to build advanced weapons, including unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range missiles,” he said.
The move comes as part of Washington’s enforcement of United Nations sanctions reimposed on September 27, after Tehran’s continued “significant non-performance” of its nuclear obligations. Originally outlined in Security Council Resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803 and 1929, the renewed UN restrictions prohibit the transfer of weapons technologies, components and dual-use items that could contribute to Iran’s missile or nuclear ambitions.
Pigott said the United States expects all UN member states to uphold these obligations and prevent the movement of sensitive materials into Iran. “We call upon every nation to act decisively to halt Iran’s proliferation activities,” he highlighted, emphasising that the networks sanctioned today were part of a global effort to move restricted technologies through commercial fronts and intermediaries.
The announcement marks another phase of Washington’s long-running campaign to contain Tehran’s weapons development.
Officials said the sanctions also reinforce President Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum-2, which directs US agencies to block Iran’s access to funds, equipment and foreign suppliers linked to its asymmetric warfare capabilities.
“These measures are designed to cut off the IRGC from the assets and resources it needs to pursue destabilising activities across the region,” the statement read.
The US Treasury Department confirmed that the latest designations fall under Executive Orders 13382 and 13224, which target the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorist financing networks, respectively.
The State Department said Washington would “continue using every available tool”, including sanctions on companies and individuals in third countries, to uncover and dismantle Iran’s “illicit procurement web”.
“Iran’s missile and UAV programmes remain a threat to regional security and international stability. We will not allow them to expand unchecked,” Pigott concluded.
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