April 29, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on a procurement network based in Iran and China for supplying key materials used in ballistic missile production to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The designations target six entities and six individuals involved in the acquisition and transfer of missile propellant ingredients, in violation of international nonproliferation agreements.
The network facilitated the transfer of sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate—two chemicals essential in manufacturing solid rocket propellants—from China to Iran. These substances are used in the production of ammonium perchlorate, a compound tightly controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which aims to curb the global spread of missile technologies.
“Iran’s aggressive development of missiles and other weapons capabilities imperils the safety of the United States and our partners,” stated Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “It also destabilizes the Middle East and violates global agreements. Treasury will continue to take all available measures to deprive Iran of the resources needed to advance its missile program.”
Sanctioned Entities and Individuals
The designations are made under Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems. The move also supports National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which calls for disrupting Iran’s missile development activities.
Iran-based Saman Tejarat Barman Trading Company (STB) was identified as a central player in the procurement operation. STB arranged for the acquisition of sodium perchlorate from Shenzhen Amor Logistics Co Ltd, a logistics firm in China. The coordination included partnerships with E-Sail Shipping Company Limited, previously sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019.
Key figures within STB—including Mohammad Asgari, Abed Zargar Bab Aldashti, Hamed Zargar Bab Aldashti, Zahra Zargar Bab Aldashti, Forough Modarres Fathi, and Abbas Pour Kazemi—have all been sanctioned for their roles in facilitating and overseeing the transactions.
China-based suppliers Dongying Weiaien Chemical Co Ltd, Yanling Chuanxing Chemical Plant, China Chlorate Tech Co Limited (CCT), and Yanling Lingfeng Chlorate Co Ltd were also sanctioned for supporting the procurement and transport of the chemicals to Iran.
Broader Implications and Enforcement
All assets belonging to these individuals and entities that fall under U.S. jurisdiction are now frozen. U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting transactions with them unless authorized by OFAC. Additionally, any business or financial institution engaging with these sanctioned parties may face secondary sanctions.
Violations of these sanctions could result in civil or criminal penalties. Export restrictions may also apply to goods associated with the listed individuals or companies, enforced by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
The designations underscore the Trump administration’s broader strategy of enforcing nonproliferation norms and holding state and non-state actors accountable for supporting Iran’s ballistic missile ambitions.
