US Sanctions Six Companies and Two Individuals Linked to Iran's Missile Program

On Thursday, the US Treasury Department blacklisted two Iranian companies for supporting Iran's ballistic missile program and also sanctioned four other companies and two British traders for assisting Mahan Airlines, which is accused of collaborating with the IRGC. According to Reuters, the US has sanctioned 'Shahid Nouri Industries' and 'Shahid Mohieddine Industries,' which are subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, accused by Washington of being the main entity linked to Iran's ballistic missile program. The US Treasury also sanctioned John James Ashfield and John Edward Meadows, two British traders, for aiding Mahan Airlines. Two companies based in the UK and two in the UAE have been added to the US sanctions list for similar reasons. The US has accused Mahan Airlines of transporting weapons and money for the IRGC. These new sanctions come as the IRGC recently conducted missile tests that faced widespread criticism from the international community. The US permanent representative to the UN stated that the issue of these tests would be raised in the Security Council, a meeting held on March 15 that ended without results. The US has labeled Iran's missile tests as 'destabilizing and provocative.' Following the conclusion of nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 2231, which calls on Tehran to refrain from activities related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear weapons, including launching missiles made using ballistic missile technology, during the eight years of missile sanctions. However, some analysts believe that the 'recommendations' of Resolution 2231 are not binding on Iran. A group of Republican senators in the US has begun supporting a proposal that would require the Obama administration to impose stricter sanctions on that part of Iran's economy and industry involved in the production of ballistic missiles.