WASHINGTON ¨C The United States imposed sanctions on 11 companies and individuals for supplying Iran¡¯s ballistic missile program in a move delayed by over two weeks so as not to endanger this weekend¡¯s release of U.S. prisoners, sources familiar with the matter said.
The U.S. Treasury Department said it had blacklisted the UAE-based Mabrooka Trading, and its owner, Hossein Pournaghshband, for helping Iran¡¯s produce carbon fiber for the program. Financial institutions and companies are barred from dealing with those on the U.S. blacklist.
U.S. official and congressional sources said President Barack Obama¡¯s administration had held back from taking action for more than two weeks during the tense negotiations that ultimately freed five Americans under a prisoner swap.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.