The US Treasury Department announced a new round of anti-Iran sanctions
on Friday, hitting 14 individuals and 17 companies, all of them who
have some link to Iran’s Organization for Defense Innovation and
Research (SPND).
It is unclear if these targets are generally accused of having done
anything illegal, in and of themselves, though officials claimed some of
the companies were “front companies” who might be used to avoid
sanctions.
The individual scientists being targeted are another matter, as some of
them are being “former nuclear weapons scientists,” and the sanctions
are intended to harm their ability to work on any such activity in the
future, if they were ever so inclined.
Officials say that the broad purpose of the sanctions is to discourage Iranian scientists from taking jobs with the SPND, whether legal or not, for fear of being targeted. They added “it’s not a wise thing to be involved in.”
US Announces New Sanctions Against Iran, Targeting Former Nuclear Scientists
Also sanctions 'front companies' that might help dodge sanctions
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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