The US has imposed Iran-related sanctions on five Hong-Kong shipping companies, one Australian entity and one Chinese investment group, the US Department of the Treasury said.
Delight Shipping Co Ltd, Gracious Shipping Co Ltd, Noble Shipping Co Ltd, Reach Holding Group, Reach Shipping Lines, Supreme Shipping Co Ltd were added to Specially Designated Nationals list, according to the statement.
The Treasury also slapped three individuals with sanctions for dealings with Iran.
On 18 October, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US was ready "to use its domestic authorities to sanction any individual or entity that materially contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer of conventional arms to or from Iran." He added that if a country supports the fight against terrorism it "should refrain from any arms transactions with Iran."
Pompeo's statement came after a decade-long UN arms embargo on Iran expired, allowing Tehran to buy foreign weapons.
