WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed sanctions on 30 foreign companies or individuals for transferring sensitive technology to Iran for its missile programme or for violating export controls on Iran, North Korea and Syria, the State Department said on Friday.

Eleven companies or individuals from China, North Korea or the United Arab Emirates were sanctioned for technology transfers that could boost Tehran’s ballistic missile programme, the State Department said in a statement.

Nineteen entities or individuals were sanctioned for other violations under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Non-proliferation Act, it said.

They are believed to have transferred or acquired sensitive technology that could contribute to development of weapons of mass destruction.“These determinations underscore that the United States continues to regularly impose sanctions under existing authorities, as warranted, against entities and individuals that engage in proliferation activity with Iran, North Korea, and Syria,” the State Department statement said in a statement.

The companies included under the newly imposed sanctions are based in China, North Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.

The State Department said that 11 of the entities and people contribute to activity that “serves to escalate regional conflicts further and poses a significant threat to regional security.”

Eleven entities and individuals were sanctioned for transfers of sensitive items to Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

The government also implemented sanctions on 19 companies or people found to have “transferred to, or acquired from, Iran, North Korea, or Syria goods, services, or technology listed on multilateral export control lists, or on US national control lists, or other items that could make a material contribution to the development of weapons of mass destruction or missile proliferation.”

Most of the companies listed engage in export activity.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2017