The Bureau of Industry and Security in the Department of Commerce announced today that it will add six individuals and 18 corporations to the Entity List for enabling or assisting with Iran’s nuclear program, Pakistan’s unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernization efforts. The Entity List additions include five Iranian nuclear officials, one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) involved in assisting weapons of mass destruction (WMD) activities in Iran and Pakistan. Today’s action also includes two companies in Russia for circumventing license requirements for a party previously added to the Entity List.

“We have made clear to Iran that it must comply with its nuclear safeguard obligations, and immediately provide the International Atomic Energy Agency nothing short of full cooperation, and the regime continues to refuse,” said Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “Iran’s nuclear escalation underscores the serious destabilization that the Iranian regime continues to cause in the region, and the threat posed to international peace and security. This Administration and the Department of Commerce are committed to taking the actions necessary to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon.”

The actions today constrict the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to these 24 entities.The five Iranian nuclear officials were added for their involvement in nuclear-related activities that are contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. The five additional Iranian and UAE entities were added for conspiring to transship U.S.-origin items to Iran, procuring or attempting to procure on behalf of U.S. Government-designated entities in Iran, and transporting military-related items on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and supporter of WMD proliferation—and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, which oversees much of Iran’s nuclear program.

The Entity List additions also include 12 companies in Pakistan and the UAE that have been involved or have made significant contributions to Pakistan’s unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs.  “Efforts by companies to illicitly procure U.S. technologies in support of unsafeguarded WMD programs are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Secretary Ross continued.  “The Department of Commerce will continue to aggressively investigate and designate parties who do so.”

Pursuant to Section 744.11(b) of the EAR, the Entity List identifies persons or organizations reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. The EAR imposes additional license requirements on, and limits the availability of most license exceptions for, exports, re-exports, and transfers (in-country) to listed entities.