The State Department issued a new round of sanctions Wednesday targeting Iran’s nuclear program after the United Nations (UN) imposed its own measures last week.
The sanctions target five individuals and a technology firm tied to the Iranian Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which handles the nation’s nuclear program. While Iran’s nuclear program was set back considerably by the U.S. strikes on the Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan nuclear sites, Tehran has continued to pursue its nuclear ambitions.
“The United States is implementing snapback sanctions against the Iranian regime. New sanctions and export controls will target 44 actors tied to Iran’s nuclear, missile, and military programs,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X Wednesday. “As [President Donald Trump] has made clear, we will deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon.”
The targeted individuals include Reza Mozaffarinia, the current Director of SPND, who leads the program’s efforts to acquire dual-use weapons as well as further develop technologies used in nuclear weapons. Mozaffarinia was previously sanctioned by the Treasury Department under former president Barack Obama. Other targets include multiple nuclear scientists involved in Iran’s program under various scientific disciplines and roles.
Andisheh Damavand International Technologies, the only company listed in the sanctions, was also targeted for allegedly transporting Iranian nuclear scientists to Russia to acquire materials for the nuclear program, the State Department said. The company’s CEO, Ali Kalvand, was also sanctioned for procuring foreign materials intended for nuclear devices.
Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has remained adamant in public statements that his nation is undeterred by Western actions and has even claimed to have reached an “advanced level of uranium enrichment.”
The UN imposed sanctions on Iran September 27 in response to the “significant non-performance” of Iran’s supposed commitments to not enrich weapons-grade uranium.
The State Department deferred to the fact sheet when the Daily Caller News Foundation reached out for comment.
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