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The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 32 individuals and entities across eight countries for supporting Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs, including seven companies based in Türkiye, the Treasury Department announced.
The designations target entities in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, China, Hong Kong, India, Germany, and Ukraine, all accused of operating procurement networks that facilitate Iran’s weapons production.
“These networks pose a threat to U.S. and allied personnel in the Middle East and to commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” the Treasury said in a statement.
Among the sanctioned firms are Hong Kong-based Qian Xi Long and Hin Yun, which the U.S. said were involved in supplying Iran’s Mado Company—a manufacturer of engines used in the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones. The drones have been widely used in Iranian military operations and by its proxy groups in the region.
The Treasury said the two Hong Kong firms received hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from seven Turkish companies: Arkedya Gida, Intro Oto Yedek Parca, Own Ucar Gida, Royal Yapi Insaat, Loris Turizm, Ozkam Nakliyat, and Artas Gumrukleme. All seven were added to the U.S. sanctions list.
Unites States, its European allies, and Israel have long accused Iran of using its nuclear program as a cover for efforts to develop nuclear weapons — a claim Tehran has consistently denied, saying its program is solely for peaceful purposes.
In a related development, the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Wednesday called on Iran to grant access to verify its enriched uranium stockpiles, especially highly enriched material close to weapons-grade levels, according to two confidential reports seen by AFP.
Tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have worsened following a 12-day conflict in June involving U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In its latest report, the IAEA said it “has lost continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s declared inventories of nuclear material, including near-weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60%.
Iran is the only non-nuclear weapons state to enrich uranium to that level, just below the 90% threshold required for a nuclear bomb.
The agency said Iran’s current stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% reached 440.9 kilograms as of June 13 but warned it has been unable to verify this due to months-long restrictions on access.
“The situation is a matter of serious concern,” the IAEA said. “It is critical that the agency is able to verify the inventories of previously declared nuclear material in Iran as soon as possible in order to ensure compliance with the NPT safeguards agreement.”
Efforts to revive the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers remain frozen. The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), restricted Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the pact in 2018, triggering renewed tensions and waves of sanctions. Subsequent negotiations have stalled amid mutual accusations and regional escalation.
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