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U.S. Imposes Sanctions on 5 Iranian Companies
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 12, 2008; 11:46 AM
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has imposed economic sanctions on
five Iranian companies that it has accused of helping the country
pursue its ambitions to develop a nuclear weapon.
The Treasury Department announced Tuesday that it was freezing any
assets the five companies might have in the United States and
prohibiting American individuals and companies from having dealings
with the firms.
The five companies are the Nuclear Research Center for Agriculture
and Medicine, the Esfahan Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center,
Jabber Ibn Hayan, the Safety Procurement Company and Joza Industrial
Company.
"These five nuclear and missile entities have been used by Iran to hide its illicit conduct and further its dangerous nuclear
ambitions," Stuart Levey, Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and
financial intelligence, said in a statement announcing the action.
The new sanctions represent the latest effort by the administration
and its allies to increase pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear
program.
The European Union on Friday tightened trade restrictions on Iran
and the West has threatened a fourth round of sanctions over Tehran's
refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can either produce
fuel for a nuclear reactor or a weapon.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity.
The actions taken by the administration on Tuesday were under an
executive order President Bush signed to target entities accused of
aiding in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.