Story highlights The companies are owned by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group

The sanctions were placed in response to Iran's continued provocative actions, including a recent rocket launch

Washington (CNN) The Treasury Department placed sanctions Friday on six Iran-based satellite companies following a recent Iranian rocket launch that State Department officials warn breached a UN Security Council resolution.

The companies are owned by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, an entity central to Iran's ballistic missile program. The sanctions were placed in response to Iran's continued provocative actions, including its recent launch, according to a Treasury Department press release Friday.

Iran state TV reported Thursday that the country had successfully tested a rocket that could send satellites into orbit. The action breaches a UN Security Council resolution due to the possibility that it could be used in ballistic missile development, according to the State Department.

"We would consider that a violation of UNSCR 2231," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said at a briefing with reporters Thursday. "We consider that to be continued ballistic missile development. ... We believe that what happened overnight, in the early morning hours here in Washington, is inconsistent with the Security Council resolutions."

Iranian state television showed footage of the firing of the rocket.

Read More </s> U.S. Treasury slaps sanctions on Iranian companies after satellite launch

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Friday on six subsidiaries of an Iranian company key to Iran's ballistic missile program in response to Tehran's "continued provocative actions," including Thursday's launch of a space launch vehicle, Reuters reported.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed the sanctions on six Iran-based companies owned or controlled by Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, the Treasury said in a statement. </s> The US government imposed sanctions against six Iranian companies after Tehran launched a satellite into orbit, saying they were "central" to the country's ballistic missile program.Six enterprises listed as subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group were placed on the US sanctions list Friday, after what Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin described as a "provocative space launch.""The US government will continue to aggressively counter Iran's ballistic missile-related activity, whether it be a provocative space launch, its development of threatening ballistic missile systems, or likely support to Yemeni Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia such as occurred this past weekend," Mnuchin said, announcing the sanctions.Shahid Karimi Industries, Shahid Rastegar Industries, Shahid Cheraghi Industries, Shahid Varamini Industries, Shahid Kalhor Industries, and Amir Al Mo'Menin Industries were placed on the sanctions list as subsidiaries of SHIG.On Thursday, Iran successfully tested the Simorgh rocket, a two-stage vehicle meant to deliver small space satellites into orbit. The US government says the technology used in the launch is inherently designed to be able to carry a nuclear payload, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Mnuchin said the US will continue to counter Iran's ballistic missile program.Friday's announcement comes after the US Senate adopted another batch of sanctions against Iran, North Korea and Russia, and amid rumors that the Trump administration is considering a review of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. </s> The companies are owned by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, an entity central to Iran's ballistic missile program. The sanctions were placed in response to Iran's continued provocative actions, including its recent launch, according to a Treasury Department press release Friday.

Iran state TV reported Thursday that the country had successfully tested a rocket that could send satellites into orbit. The action breaches a UN Security Council resolution due to the possibility that it could be used in ballistic missile development, according to the State Department.

"We would consider that a violation of UNSCR 2231," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said at a briefing with reporters Thursday. "We consider that to be continued ballistic missile development. ... We believe that what happened overnight, in the early morning hours here in Washington, is inconsistent with the Security Council resolutions."

Iranian state television showed footage of the firing of the rocket.

A US defense official confirmed the launch to CNN and said the US is still assessing how successful it was. The US had intelligence that the launch was coming and it was not a surprise, according to the official. The US military is saying it has not detected a new satellite in orbit in the wake of the Iranian space launch. A spokesman for US Strategic Command Joint Space Operations Center, Air Force Capt. Brian Maguire, told CNN there was "nothing new to add to the satellite catalog" following the reported launch. </s> The United States is slapping Iran with new sanctions in response to its launch of a satellite-carrying rocket into space this week.

The sanctions target six Iranian subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The Treasury Department says that group is "central" to Iran's ballistic missile program.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the sanctions illustrate deep U.S. concerns about Iran's missile testing and other actions. He says the U.S. will continue countering Iran's ballistic missile program, including Thursday's "provocative space launch."

The U.S. has said that launch flouted a U.N. Security Council resolution because the technology is inherently designed to be able to carry a nuclear payload.

The sanctions come as the Trump administration continues debating its Iran policy and whether to scrap the 2015 multilateral deal that limits the development of Iran's nuclear capabilities. </s> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on Friday on six subsidiaries of a company key to Iran’s ballistic missile program, citing continued “provocative actions” like Tehran’s launch of a rocket capable of putting a satellite into orbit.

Simorgh rocket is launched and tested at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre, Iran, in this handout photo released by Tasnim News Agency on July 27, 2017. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Iranian state television reported on Thursday that Iran had successfully tested a rocket that can deliver satellites into orbit, an action the United States and others say breaches a U.N. Security Council resolution because of its potential use in ballistic missile development.

A joint statement on Friday from the United States, France, Germany and Britain said the launch was inconsistent with a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Iran not to conduct such tests.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on six Iranian firms owned or controlled by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The move enables the U.S. government to block any company property under its jurisdiction and prevents U.S. citizens from doing business with the firms.

“These sanctions ... underscore the United States’ deep concerns with Iran’s continued development and testing of ballistic missiles and other provocative behavior,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement.

“The U.S. government will continue to aggressively counter Iran’s ballistic missile-related activity, whether it be a provocative space launch ... or likely support to Yemeni Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia such as occurred this past weekend,” Mnuchin said.

The six Shahid Hemmat units targeted by the U.S. sanctions manufacture missile components, missile airframes, liquid-propellant ballistic missile engines, liquid propellant, guidance and control systems. They also do missile-related research and maintenance.

The Treasury move was announced just hours after the U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously to impose new sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea.

The measure put President Donald Trump, who has sought better ties with Russia, in a tough position, forcing him to either sign the bill into law or anger his party by vetoing it.

The sanctions in that bill also target Iran’s missile development programs as well as human rights abuses.

The State Department charged on Thursday that Iran’s test of the satellite launch vehicle was a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions as well as the spirit of the multinational Iran nuclear deal, under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear programs in exchange for a lifting of some economic sanctions.

Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said the Trump administration would continue to impose consequences on Iran until it complied fully with U.N. resolutions.

“The issue with Iran always comes back to mistrust. Iran’s widespread support for terrorists tells us we can’t trust them. Iran’s breaking its obligation on missile testing tells us we can’t trust them. Yesterday’s launch proves that yet again,” she said in a statement.

The Trump administration certified Iran as being in compliance with the nuclear deal last week, even though Trump has called the agreement negotiated by his Democratic predecessor “the worst deal ever.”

Trump issued a veiled threat against Iran earlier this week, warning Tehran to adhere to the terms of the nuclear accord or face “big, big problems.” He said in a speech in Ohio that the deal had “emboldened” Iran and added “that won’t take place much longer.” </s> The Treasury announced new sanctions Thursday on five Iranian entities affiliated with the country's ballistic missile program.



All five Iranian entities are subordinates of the Iranian company Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group.

The new restrictions will prevent the entities from dealing financially with U.S. citizens and financial institutions. 



The announcement comes as tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets, including in the nation's capital of Tehran, to protest the government. </s> By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is slapping Iran with new ballistic missiles sanctions in response to its launch of a satellite-carrying rocket into space a day earlier.

The sanctions target six Iranian subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The Treasury Department says that group is “central” to Iran’s ballistic missiles program.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the sanctions illustrate deep U.S. concerns about Iran’s missile testing and other actions. He says the U.S. will continue countering Iran’s ballistic missile program including Thursday’s “provocative space launch.”

The U.S. has said that launch flouted a U.N. Security Council resolution because the technology is inherently designed to be able to carry a nuclear payload.

The sanctions come as the Trump administration continues debating its Iran policy and whether to scrap the 2015 nuclear deal.

Copyright © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> The United States on Thursday sanctioned five Iranian-based entities it said were owned or controlled by a industrial firm responsible for developing and producing Iran's solid-propellant ballistic missiles.

"These sanctions target key entities involved in Iran's ballistic missile program, which the Iranian regime prioritizes over the economic well-being of the Iranian people," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said the five sanctioned entities - the Shahid Eslami Research Center, Shahid Kharrazi Industries, Shahid Moghaddam Industries, Shahid Sanikhani Industries and Shahid Shustari Industries - were subordinated to the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group.

The sanctions freeze any property the entities hold in the United States and prohibit Americans from dealing with them.
The United States Treasury Department imposes sanctions on six Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group satellite companies following a recent Iranian rocket launch that the U.S. says breached United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.