The United States on Friday sanctioned four Iranian companies, including one accused of providing weapons to the Syrian regime's crackdown.

The Treasury Department said SAD Import Export Company shipped weapons to the Syrian Armed Forces on behalf of Iran's Defense Industries Organization, which it accused of being used by the government to "assist" the Syrian regime's crackdown.

In 21 months, the anti-regime revolt in Syria has claimed more than 44,000 lives, according to monitors.

SAD Import Export and two others, Chemical Industries and Development of Materials Group and Marine Industries Organization, were also blacklisted for their ties to Iran's Defense Industries Organization and its defense ministry.

And the director of the Marine Industries Organization, Mustafa Esbati, was implicated for his support to Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization, as was a fourth company, Doostan International Company.

The executive order targeted "proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters," and freezes any assets those designated may have under US jurisdiction.

It also puts foreign banks on notice that they can lose access to the US financial system if they "facilitate significant transactions or provide significant financial services" to them.

"We will continue to expose the companies and individuals involved in Iran's illicit weapons program," said David Cohen, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury.

A day earlier, the UN Security Council had slapped sanctions on two Iranian firms accused of supplying arms to the Syrian government -- including SAD Import Export Company -- adding them to a growing Iran sanctions list for breaching an arms embargo ordered against the Islamic republic for its nuclear drive. (AFP)


<관련 한글 기사>


미국•EU, 이란 관련 제재 대상 추가

미국과 유럽연합(EU)이 이란의 핵프로그램 및 탄도미사일 개발과 관련한 제재 대상을 추가했다.

미국 재무부는 21일(현지시간) 'SAD 수출입' 등 이란 기업 4곳과 이란인 1명을 블랙리스트에 올렸다고 밝혔다. 이에 따라 이들의 미국내 자산은 동결된다. 이들은 앞으로 미국인과 거래도 할 수 없다. 

제재 대상 기업 가운데 SAD 수출입은 시리아 정부군에 무기를 제공한 혐의도 받고 있다. 제공된 무기는 민간인 살상에 사용됐을 것이라고 재무부는 판단했다.

같은 날 EU는 이란 핵활동에 관여하거나 이란 정부를 지원한 혐의로 이란 기업 및 단체 18곳과 개인 1명을 제재 대상에 올렸다고 밝혔다. 이들 역시 EU회원국내 자산 동결, 입국금지 등의 제재를 받는다.

EU는 22일 관보를 통해 기업이 포함된 제재 대상 명단을 발표한다.