US Imposes Sanctions on 38 Iran Defense and Missile Procurement Networks

The U.S. Treasury Department, under President Trump's administration, has imposed sanctions on 21 entities and 17 individuals involved in networks facilitating Iran's acquisition of sensitive technology and goods for its missile and military aircraft production. These actions support the United Nations' recently reimposed sanctions (snapback) targeting Iran's nuclear, missile, and arms programs due to Tehran's non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. The designated networks operate across multiple countries, including Iran, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Turkey, Portugal, and Uruguay, and have procured advanced surface-to-air missile technology and U.S.-origin equipment such as a helicopter. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that Iran's ballistic missile and conventional weapons capabilities pose significant threats to U.S. service members, commercial ships, civilians, and regional security. These sanctions represent the first enforcement actions under the renewed UN framework and include freezing assets and barring U.S. transactions with the listed parties, with secondary sanctions for foreign financial institutions engaging with them. The measures align with the Trump administration's maximum pressure strategy to deny Iran the means to advance its malign objectives, including nuclear weapons development.