The U.S. State Department is sanctioning three Iranian nationals and one Iranian entity with ties to Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, also known as SPND, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday.
Those sanctioned are involved in activities that currently or could potentially “materially contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” Rubio stated, adding that the sanctions are intended to “delay and degrade” SPND’s ability to research and develop nuclear weapons.
“Iran continues to substantially expand its nuclear program and carry out dual-use research and development activities applicable to nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons delivery systems,” Rubio’s statement read. “Iran is the only country in the world without nuclear weapons that is producing uranium enriched to 60%, and it continues to use front companies and procurement agents to obscure its efforts to acquire dual-use items from foreign suppliers.”
On Sunday, the United States and the Islamic Republic held another round of indirect nuclear talks, which Tehran characterized as “difficult.”