WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. has hit six Iranian firms and shipping executives for allegedly dealing in weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile technology.
Wednesday's action by the Treasury Department freezes any assets that the companies and individuals have in U.S. jurisdictions and bars Americans from doing business with them. Two of the companies are affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The two firms, based in Malta, and the executives are part of Iran's national shipping line.
Treasury said sanctions "further expose" their continued involvement in illicit activities and deceptive behavior.
Affected are the Iran Maritime Industrial Company SADRA, Deep Offshore Technology PJS, the Malship Shipping Agency Ltd., Modality Limited and shipping officials Seyed Alaeddin and Sadat Rasool.