April 9 (UPI) — The United States sanctioned key entities associated with Iran’s nuclear program amid pending talks over its development, the U.S. State Department announced Wednesday.
“Today’s action, which targets persons procuring or manufacturing critical technologies for TESA and AEOI, is taken in support of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign on Iran,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
Five separate business entities and one individual, all based in Iran, were named as key supporters that manage and oversee the Iranian nuclear program including its Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the AEOI-subordinate Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA).
“The Iranian regime’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security,” stated U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Treasury sanctions were aimed at part suppliers or other financial backers like Iran-based Atbin Ista Technical and Engineering Co., in addition to its board chairman, Majid Mosallat. It further targeted Pegah Aluminum Arak Co., the Thorium Power Company, Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company and Azarab Industries Co.
The Iranian state has been ramping up its nuclear program since 2018 when President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on Iran during his first term and pulled the United States from an Obama-era multi-nation nuclear accord aimed at preventing the Middle Eastern country from securing a nuclear weapon.
It arrived just days before senior Trump administration and Iranian officials were expected to hold talks in Oman, the president having warned of a “great danger” if negotiations did not persuade Iran to abandon the buildout of its nuclear weaponry.
On Monday, Trump revealed that the United States was in “direct talks” with Iran over its nuclear weapons program and that high-level talks were scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday,” Trump, 78, told reporters prior to a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 75, to end trade deficits.
“We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen,” Trump said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the meeting Monday in an X post, calling them “indirect high-level talks,” adding it “as much an opportunity as it is a test,” saying “the ball is in America’s court.”
