The United States on Thursday slapped new Iran-related sanctions, blacklisting an entity and individual as part of the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign. "Today, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Shahid Meisami Group and its director. Shahid Meisami Group is involved in Iran's chemical weapons research and is subordinate to the Iranian Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, also known as SPND. The United States designated SPND in 2014 in connection with the Iranian regime's proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) or their means of delivery," the US Treasury Department in a statement on Thursday. Treasury's action supports the US' calls on Iran to meet the compliance standards of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the statement added. Commenting on the fresh sanctions, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said: "Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction is a threat to the security of its neighbors and the world," said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "The United States will continue to counter any efforts by the Iranian regime to develop chemical weapons that may be used by the regime or its proxy groups to advance their malign agenda." Shahid Meisami Group is an organization subordinate to SPND and has been responsible for numerous SPND projects, the cost of which totaled in the millions of dollars. These projects include testing and producing chemical agents and optimizing them for effectiveness and toxicity for use as incapacitation agents. The United States has longstanding concerns that Iran maintains an undeclared chemical weapons program, according to the US State Department. Mehran Babri is the head of Shahid Meisami Group. Prior to his current position at Shahid Meisami Group, Babri worked at Iran's Defense Chemical Research Lab, the State Department said in the statement. — SG
