US sanctions 9 mainland China and Hong Kong entities over alleged Iran military links
Treasury and State Department announcements come days ahead of US President Donald Trump’s expected China visit and summit with Xi Jinping
The decision, which risks complicating Donald Trump’s visit to China next week, was announced on Friday by the Treasury and State departments.
A Treasury Department press release said those targeted were “enabling efforts by Iran’s military to secure weapons” or securing “raw materials with applications in Iran’s Shahed‑series unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missile programme”.
The Treasury sanctions target five firms and one individual. They include the mainland China-based Yushita Shanghai International Trade Company, which is accused of helping Tehran to buy arms.
Meanwhile, Hitex Insulation Ningbo Company is accused of supplying millions of dollars’ worth of materials used in ballistic missile research and flight test launches. Its legal representative, Li Genping, was also sanctioned.
Hong Kong-based HK Hesin Industry Company is accused of working as an intermediary in procurements, while Mustad Limited, also based in the city, is accused of helping Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to buy arms.
Separately, the State Department said on Friday that it had sanctioned four companies, including three mainland Chinese firms accused of providing satellite imagery that enabled Iranian strikes against US forces in the Middle East.