US imposes curbs on firms over support of Pakistan, Iran weapons programs

US imposes curbs on firms over support of Pakistan, Iran weapons programs
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Oct 21, 2024

The United States added more than two dozen entities to a trade blacklist Monday over alleged support of weapons and drone development programs in Pakistan and Iran, and for other issues including aiding Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

The 26 targets, mostly in Pakistan, China and the United Arab Emirates, were said to have violated export controls, been involved in "weapons programs of concern," or evaded US sanctions and export controls on Russia and Iran, said the Commerce Department.

Their addition to the so-called "entity list" restricts them from getting US items and technologies without government authorization.

"We are vigilant in defending US national security from bad actors," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez in a statement.

"Our actions today send a message to malicious actors that if they violate our controls, they will pay a price," he added.

Nine entities in Pakistan were accused of being front companies and procurement agents for the already blacklisted Advanced Engineering Research Organization.

Since 2010, the group was said to have procured US-origin items by disguising their end users, who include a Pakistani entity responsible for the country's cruise missile and strategic drone program.

"This activity is contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States," the Commerce Department said.

Six entities in China were added to the list for allegedly acquiring US-origin items to support China's military modernization or to aid Iran's weapons and drone programs, among other reasons.

And three entities in the UAE, alongside another in Egypt, were said to have acquired or attempted to obtain US components to avoid sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, said the department.

On Monday, the US Commerce Department also removed Canada-based Sandvine from the entity list, after the company took steps to "to address the misuse of its technology that can undermine human rights."

The company had been added to the list in February 2024 "after its products were used to conduct mass web-monitoring and censorship and target human rights activists and dissidents, including by enabling the misuse of commercial spyware," the Commerce Department said.