Treasury Sanctions Iranian Entities Involved in Nuclear Program

The sanctions are imposed ahead of a high-level meeting between the United States and Iran on April 12.

This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on March 12, 2025 shows navy vessels taking part in a joint Iranian-Russian-Chinese military drill in the Gulf of Oman. The navies of Iran, Russia and China are holding military drills off the coast of Iran this week in a bid to boost cooperation, according to Iranian media. (Photo by Iranian Army Office / AFP) Photo by -/Iranian Army Office/AFP via Getty Images

The Treasury imposed sanctions on entities that contributed to advancing the Iranian nuclear program.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is “designating five entities and one individual based in Iran for their support to key entities that manage and oversee Iran’s nuclear program, including the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the AEOI-subordinate Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA),” the executive department said in an April 9 statement.

“AEOI is the main Iranian organization responsible for research and development activities in the field of nuclear technology, including Iran’s centrifuge enrichment and experimental laser enrichment of uranium programs,“ the statement reads. ”AEOI oversees multiple Iranian companies undertaking nuclear-related work in Iran.”

As part of the sanctions to deter Iran’s nuclear program, all property of the designated entities will be blocked and reported to OFAC.

“Iran’s nuclear program, including its enrichment- and reprocessing-related capabilities and nuclear-capable missiles, poses an existential danger to the United States and the entire civilized world,” said a presidential memorandum issued by the White House in February.

The sanction levied against Iranian entities was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13382, signed in 2005 by President George W. Bush, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.

AEOI was included in the executive order, as the Treasury designated TESA in 2011 as an enabler of Iran’s nuclear program.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated the threat in the latest Treasury statement.

“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,” he said.

“Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to disrupt any attempt by Iran to advance its nuclear program and its broader destabilizing agenda.”

Iran funds and supplies weapons to Houthi terrorists in Yemen and supports the terrorist groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Negotiations With Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to hold high-level talks with Iran on April 12 during a recent White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel remains a critical foe of the Iranian regime, with the two nations engaging in back-and-forth military conflicts.

“I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious,” Trump said, referring to military actions against Iran.

“And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with or, frankly, that Israel wants to be involved with if they can avoid it. So we’re going to see if we can avoid it.”

Trump said that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

Responding to Trump, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that it was as “much an opportunity as it is a test.”

“The ball is in America’s court,” he said.

The Pentagon announced on April 1 that it was reinforcing military capabilities through “deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets” in the region.

“[Defense] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth continues to make clear that, should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people,” the Pentagon stated.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on April 7 that the United States would receive a strong blow if Trump were to follow through with his threats.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander Amirali Hajizadeh threatened U.S. forces in the Middle East, noting American bases there and adding, “They are in a glass house and should not throw stones.”

Reuters contributed to this report.