The US Treasury has announced a further tightening of sanction on Iran, over its controversial nuclear programme.
It said it had blacklisted several companies and individuals connected to the programme, including several companies and banks acting as front organisations to help Iran get around existing sanctions.
"We will continue to ratchet up the pressure so long as Iran refuses to address the international community's well-founded concerns about its nuclear programme," US Treasury official David Cohen said in a statement released on Thursday.
“Today’s actions are our next step on that path, taking direct aim at disrupting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as its deceptive efforts to use front companies to sell and move its oil.”
Iran continues to maintain that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and that sanctions are harming efforts to engage with the US to find a solution to the problems.
Iran warned of tougher sanctions (20 Jun 2012)
