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The US government announced a new package of unilateral sanctions against Iran Thursday, accusing the Islamic state of pursuing an illegal nuclear weapons drive and exporting terrorism.
The following is a summary of the sanctions against named Iranian military agencies, banks and individuals. Any US assets they hold are now frozen, and US citizens are barred from transactions with them.
-- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was designated as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, specifically of ballistic missiles capable of delivering WMD warheads.
-- Nine IRGC-controlled companies involved in an array of industries including petroleum, construction and transportation.
The companies were named as Khatam al-Anbya Construction Headquarters; Oriental Oil Kish; Ghorb Nooh; Sahel Consultant Engineering; Ghorb-e Karbala; Sepasad Engineering Co.; Omran Sahel; Hara Co.; and Gharargahe Sazandegi Ghaem.
-- Six top IRGC commanders were designated, including air force chief General Hosein Salimi.
-- The Quds Force, said to be the IRGC's covert operations arm and accused by the US government of providing "material support" to the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups including Hamas.
"In addition, the Quds Force provides lethal support in the form of weapons, training, funding, and guidance to select groups of Iraqi Shia militants who target and kill Coalition and Iraqi forces and innocent Iraqi civilians."
Brigadier General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, was one of the six IRGC chiefs listed individually.
-- The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which the US government says controls the UN-sanctioned Defense Industries Organization of Iran.
MODAFL has "ultimate authority" over the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), the main entity overseeing Iran's ballistic missile program which was previously blacklisted by the United States.
Three top AIO officials were also designated Thursday, including the organization's head, Ahmad Vahid Dastjerdi.
-- Bank Melli, Iran's largest bank, which was accused of handling financial services for Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including UN-blacklisted entities.
After another Iranian bank, Sepah, was sanctioned by both Washington and the UN for facilitating the Iranian nuclear and missile drives, Melli allegedly took over Sepah's transactions and sought to hide the evidence.
Most active in the Gulf countries, Bank Melli also has branches in Baghdad, Hong Kong, Hamburg and Paris, plus subsidiaries in London, Kabul and Moscow, according to a US government fact-sheet.
-- Bank Mellat, which was accused of facilitating the nuclear transactions of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and Novin Energy Company.
The fact-sheet listed Bank Mellat branches in Armenia, Britain, South Korea and Turkey.
-- Bank Saderat, which allegedly funnels funds to the Islamic extremist groups Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command.
Beyond the Gulf countries and Lebanon, Bank Melli also has branches or subsidiaries in Athens, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Moscow, Paris and the Turkmen capital Ashgabat.
The following is a summary of the sanctions against named Iranian military agencies, banks and individuals. Any US assets they hold are now frozen, and US citizens are barred from transactions with them.
-- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was designated as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, specifically of ballistic missiles capable of delivering WMD warheads.
-- Nine IRGC-controlled companies involved in an array of industries including petroleum, construction and transportation.
The companies were named as Khatam al-Anbya Construction Headquarters; Oriental Oil Kish; Ghorb Nooh; Sahel Consultant Engineering; Ghorb-e Karbala; Sepasad Engineering Co.; Omran Sahel; Hara Co.; and Gharargahe Sazandegi Ghaem.
-- Six top IRGC commanders were designated, including air force chief General Hosein Salimi.
-- The Quds Force, said to be the IRGC's covert operations arm and accused by the US government of providing "material support" to the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups including Hamas.
"In addition, the Quds Force provides lethal support in the form of weapons, training, funding, and guidance to select groups of Iraqi Shia militants who target and kill Coalition and Iraqi forces and innocent Iraqi civilians."
Brigadier General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, was one of the six IRGC chiefs listed individually.
-- The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which the US government says controls the UN-sanctioned Defense Industries Organization of Iran.
MODAFL has "ultimate authority" over the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), the main entity overseeing Iran's ballistic missile program which was previously blacklisted by the United States.
Three top AIO officials were also designated Thursday, including the organization's head, Ahmad Vahid Dastjerdi.
-- Bank Melli, Iran's largest bank, which was accused of handling financial services for Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including UN-blacklisted entities.
After another Iranian bank, Sepah, was sanctioned by both Washington and the UN for facilitating the Iranian nuclear and missile drives, Melli allegedly took over Sepah's transactions and sought to hide the evidence.
Most active in the Gulf countries, Bank Melli also has branches in Baghdad, Hong Kong, Hamburg and Paris, plus subsidiaries in London, Kabul and Moscow, according to a US government fact-sheet.
-- Bank Mellat, which was accused of facilitating the nuclear transactions of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and Novin Energy Company.
The fact-sheet listed Bank Mellat branches in Armenia, Britain, South Korea and Turkey.
-- Bank Saderat, which allegedly funnels funds to the Islamic extremist groups Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command.
Beyond the Gulf countries and Lebanon, Bank Melli also has branches or subsidiaries in Athens, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Moscow, Paris and the Turkmen capital Ashgabat.
