US slaps sanctions on 12 foreign companies

The United States has slapped non-proliferation sanctions against 12 foreign companies, including four from China, under an act that prohibits transferring of equipment and technology to Iran, North Korea and Syria.

The sanctions has also been imposed on four Chinese companies, which include BST Technology and Trade Company, China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CPMIEC), Dalian Sunny Industries, and Poly Technologies Incorporated.

Companies from Belarus, Iran Sudan and Venezuelan too have been slapped with sanctions.

"Iran, North Korea and Syria non-proliferation Act (INKSNA) sanctions were imposed on these entities and individuals because there was credible information indicating they had transferred to, or acquired from, Iran, North Korea, or Syria, equipment and technology listed on multilateral export control lists.

"...(Australia Group, Chemical Weapons Convention, Missile Technology Control Regime, Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement), or items that are not listed, but nevertheless, could materially contribute to a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or cruise or ballistic missile program," the State Department said in a statement.

A separate determination was made to impose missile proliferation sanctions under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Export Administration Act (EAA) on the Chinese individual Li Fangwei (aka Karl Lee) and his company, Dalian Sunny Industries, for transferring equipment and technology controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex to MTCR-class (Category I) missiles in a non-MTCR country.

"The United States also imposed sanctions on Li Fangwei (aka Karl Lee), Dalian Sunny Industry, and the Iranian entities Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG), Shahid Sattari Ground Equipment Industries, and the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

"...because these entities contributed materially (or posed a risk of contributing materially) to the proliferation of WMD or their means of delivery (including missiles capable of delivering such weapons)," the State Department said.