US Warns Pakistan of Possible Sanctions Over Trade Deal with Iran

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, currently on a three-day visit to Pakistan, met with Shehbaz Sharif on Monday. During the meeting, the issue of US sanctions on suppliers to Pakistan’s Ballistic Missile Program was highlighted by US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel. Patel emphasized the US’ commitment to disrupting and taking action against proliferation networks and procurement activities related to weapons of mass destruction, advising caution to anyone considering business deals with Iran due to the potential risk of sanctions.

He specifically mentioned entities based in the People’s Republic of China and Belarus that had supplied equipment to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. There are concerns that the recently inked eight bilateral agreements between Iran and Pakistan during President Raisi’s visit could be jeopardized by sanctions, owing to Iran’s international standing. The discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Raisi emphasized the shared vision of enhancing political, economic, trade, and cultural ties between the two nations.

Furthermore, Iran and Pakistan signed eight memoranda of understanding for collaboration in various areas, including veterinary and animal health, judicial support in civil cases, and security matters. Specific entities were mentioned as having supplied missile-applicable items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, such as the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, which provided special vehicle chassis for Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program. Additionally, sanctions were imposed on three Chinese entities, namely “Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited,” “Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd,” and “Granpect Company Limited.”

It’s important to note that except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.