The U.S. is imposing new sanctions on more than a more dozen individuals and entities based in the Middle East and China, accused of helping prop up Iran’s war effort.
The State Department on Friday announced sanctions against three Chinese entities that allegedly provided satellite imagery of U.S. facilities in the Middle East to Tehran: Meentropy Technology Co. Ltd, The Earth Eye and Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd.
The Ministry of Defence Export Center, the international marketing and sales arm for Iran’s defense and armed forces logistics ministry, was also targeted in the new round.
“The United States will continue to take action to hold China-based entities accountable for their support to Iran and ensure Iran cannot reconstitute its proliferation-sensitive programs following Operation Epic Fury,” a State Department fact sheet states. “The targeting of U.S. service members and partners will not go unanswered.”
The sanctions are part of a broader batch that included 11 entities and three individuals based in Iran, China, Belarus and the United Arab Emirates that the department claims are enabling Iran’s military to procure weapons and raw materials for its ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle programs.
The U.S. has repeatedly expanded sanctions on Iranian and other foreign entities since before the conflict erupted in late February, aiming to choke off Tehran’s defense industrial base and key revenue streams, such as oil sales, to exert pressure on the regime.
“While the surviving IRGC leaders are trapped like rats in a sinking ship, the Treasury Department is unrelenting in our Economic Fury campaign,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement on Friday.
“Under President Trump’s decisive leadership, we will continue to act to Keep America Safe and target foreign individuals and companies providing Iran’s military with weapons to use against U.S. forces.”
There appeared to be some movement this week on negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on a deal to end the 10-week conflict, but talks have stalled amid diverging positions on the fate of Tehran’s nuclear program.
The U.S. is reportedly awaiting Iran’s response to a 14-point plan that would permanently cease hostilities and establish a framework for future talks on the nuclear aspect.
The one-page memorandum would see Iran commit to a 10- to 20-year moratorium on nuclear enrichment in exchange for the U.S. lifting its sanctions and releasing billions of frozen Iranian funds, according to Axios.
Both sides would also agree to gradually lift their blockades in the Strait of Hormuz over a 30-day period to eventually reinstate the free flow of shipping traffic, which has been largely deadlocked since the early days of the war.
Escalating tensions in the strait have put the current temporary ceasefire in doubt, with both countries exchanging fire this week.
U.S. Central Command said on Thursday that U.S. forces attacked Iranian military facilities after it launched several missiles, drones and small boats on American guided-missile destroyers in the waterway. U.S. forces intercepted the incoming threats, and none of the warships were hit.
Trump called the strikes a “love tap,” insisting the ceasefire was still in effect. He did not answer questions from reporters on Friday evening about whether he had heard back from Iran on the proposed deal.
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