US moves against Iranian officials

Washington: The Bush administration moved on Tuesday to impose financial sanctions on Iranian officials and companies accused of helping the country develop nuclear weapons.

The action by the departments of State and Treasury marks the latest effort to tighten the financial noose on Iran, which the United States accuses of bankrolling terrorism
and seeking a nuclear bomb.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi, a senior scientist at Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, was among those targeted Tuesday.

"Iran's nuclear and missile firms hide behind an array of agents that transact business on their behalf," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Others targeted were: Yahya Rahim Safavi, a commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.; Dawood Agha-Jani, who is involved in Iran's nuclear program; Mohsen Hojati, involved in the country's ballistic missile program; Mehrdada Akhlaghi Ketabachi, the head of the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group; and Naser Maleki, head of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group and an official in the Iranian defense ministry.

The action means that any bank accounts or financial assets found in the United States that belong to these people are frozen.

Americans also are prohibited from doing business with them.

Despite three sets of UN sanctions, Iran has not only continued enriching uranium, but says it has expanded its program.