US imposes sanctions on networks supporting Iran's missile and aircraft programmes

New measures from Washington follow snapback sanctions reimposed on Tehran by UN

Shoppers at Tehran's Grand Bazaar. Iran's economy is set to deteriorate further as inflationary pressures mount. EPA

The US on Wednesday announced sanctions on alleged Iranian weapons procurement networks, a punishment intended to support recently reimposed UN penalties against Tehran over its nuclear programme.

The US Treasury Department said it was targeting 21 companies and 17 individuals "involved in networks that facilitate the acquisition of sensitive goods and technology" for Iran's ballistic missile and military aircraft programmes.

Washington accused the sanctioned networks of posing a "significant threat to US service members in the Middle East, US commercial ships transiting international waters and civilians".

“The Iranian regime’s support of terrorist proxies and its pursuit of nuclear weapons threaten the security of the Middle East, the United States and our allies around the world,” said Scott Bessent, US Secretary of the Treasury. “Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, we will deny the regime weapons it would use to further its malign objectives.”

The designations come after Iran was hit with snapback sanctions by the UN at the weekend over what western powers say is Tehran's failure to adhere to a 2015 deal to regulate its nuclear programme. Britain, France and Germany last month launched the process at the UN to reinstate the sanctions, saying Tehran was in breach of its commitments.

Under the deal reached between world powers and Iran in 2015, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to levels, in exchange for economic sanctions being lifted. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, meanwhile, is monitoring Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The purpose of the snapback mechanism was to swiftly reimpose all sanctions in place before the deal, without being vetoed by UN Security Council members, including permanent members Russia and China, in the event that Iran was non-compliant.

Last month, Britain, France and Germany − known as the E3 − notified UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council president that they were triggering the procedure. That began a 30-day window during which a new resolution to continue sanctions relief for Iran had to be adopted to avoid the restrictions being reimposed. Last-ditch efforts to do so failed.

The US designations are the first to be imposed by Mr Trump's administration since snapback sanctions came into effect last week. Iran's already reeling economy is set to deteriorate further as inflationary pressures mount. Its currency has continued to lose value against the US dollar since sanctions were reimposed.