WASHINGTON — The United States has imposed sanctions on two Iranian
companies said to have procured foreign components and technology for
Teheran's nuclear weapons program.
The Justice Department has ordered the freezing of assets of Mesbah Energy and Novin
Energy. Officials said the firms served as front companies for the procurement of
weapons of mass destruction.
"Identifying and designating supporters of WMD proliferation disrupts
the networks that are vital to illicit weapons programs," Treasury
Undersecretary Stuart Levey said. "We will continue to expose and isolate
the individuals and entities that facilitate these networks."
The department said U.S. companies and citizens would be banned from
engaging with the two Iranian entities. Both Novin and Mesbah, with
headquarters in Teheran, have reportedly acted on behalf of the Iranian
Atomic Energy Organization, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Novin has transferred millions of dollars on behalf the AEOI [Iranian
Atomic Energy Organization] to entities associated with Iran's nuclear
program," the department said.
"Novin operates within the AEOI, and shares the same address as the AEOI."
Officials said Mesbah was formed to serve Iran's nuclear weapons
program. They said Mesbah procured products for Iran's heavy water project,
regarded as essential for the manufacturing of plutonium, a key element in
nuclear weapons.
In June 2005, the Bush administration designated eight government
agencies and companies in Iran, North Korea and Syria as WMD proliferators.
In October, eight additional North Korean entities were sanctioned.
Officials said Mesbah and Novin operated mostly in Europe. They said the
U.S. intelligence community has been cooperating with European Union
countries in tracking Iranian front companies as well as European suppliers
of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile components and technology.
Iran was said to operate scores of front companies in Europe and Asia
for WMD and missile components. Officials said Washington has urged the EU
to tighten regulations to prevent the export of dual-use components to Iran.
