Office of the Spokesperson
Pursuant to Section 1245 of the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (IFCA), the Secretary of State has made two findings: one identifying the construction sector of Iran as being controlled directly or indirectly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); and one identifying four strategic materials as ones that are being used in connection with the nuclear, military, or ballistic missile programs of Iran.
First, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, has determined that the construction sector of Iran is controlled directly or indirectly by the IRGC. As a result of this determination, the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of raw and semi-finished metals, graphite, coal, and software for integrating industrial purposes will be sanctionable if those materials are to be used in connection with the Iranian construction sector.
Second, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, has determined that the following certain types of those materials are used in connection with the nuclear, military, or ballistic missile programs of Iran: stainless steel 304L tubes; MN40 manganese brazing foil; MN70 manganese brazing foil; and stainless steel CrNi60WTi ESR + VAR (chromium, nickel, 60 percent tungsten, titanium, electro-slag remelting, vacuum arc remelting). As a result of this determination, the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of those materials will be sanctionable (regardless of end-use or end-user).
With these actions, the United States is continuing a campaign to maximize economic pressure on the Iranian regime. This campaign aims to fundamentally change the Iranian regime’s behavior, block all paths to a nuclear weapon, and end Iran’s state-sponsorship of terrorism and regional malign activity.