The United States has imposed sanctions on more than two dozen companies, alleging their support for ballistic missile and drone development in Pakistan and Iran. The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced last week that 26 companies from Pakistan, China, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates were blacklisted due to activities deemed contrary to U.S. national security, including violating export controls, aiding restricted weapons programs, and attempting to bypass sanctions on Russia and Iran.
The BIS, a division of the US Commerce Department, stated that “nine Pakistani entities were added [to the ban list] for acting as front companies for the Advanced Engineering Research Organization, listed in 2014, and seven others for contributing to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.”
Three entities from the UAE and one from Egypt were also blacklisted for allegedly attempting to obtain restricted U.S. parts after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, six Chinese firms were sanctioned for assisting China’s military and procuring U.S. technology for Iran’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs.
According to Thea D. Rozman Kendler, assistant secretary of commerce for export administration at the BIS, the U.S. will continue blocking entities “that attempt to bypass our controls and endanger U.S. national security.”
“Programs such as Iran’s WMD program, their UAV program, and Pakistan’s ballistic missile program pose significant threats to the national security of the United States and will not be aided by U.S. technologies,” Kendler added.
Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement at the BIS, stated, “When we identify parties transshipping U.S. items to support WMD and UAV programs in countries like Pakistan and Iran, or aiding Russia’s war efforts, we take action. Today’s listings also make clear that when foreign parties engage in dilatory or evasive conduct with respect to our end-use checks, they will face consequences.”
The U.S. State Department in April 2024 acted against four entities involved in weapons of mass destruction proliferation. These entities were accused of supplying crucial materials and technologies to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including long-range missile capabilities.
The State Department noted that “three of the targeted companies are based in China, with the fourth in Belarus,” providing missile-related items to Pakistan’s program.
In response to American sanctions on entities allegedly linked to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry voiced concerns, with spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch noting that “similar listings have occurred before without any evidence being shared.” She suggested that Islamabad was open to transparency discussions to protect legitimate commercial ventures from being “unfairly impacted by export controls.”
Pakistan’s ballistic missile program is a key component of its national defense strategy, developed in response to regional security challenges and the country’s long-standing rivalry with India. As part of Pakistan’s strategic deterrence and conventional strike capabilities, its missile systems are designed to deliver both nuclear warheads and conventional munitions.
To manage these weapons, specifically their precision and security during missile operations, Pakistan has implemented a state-of-the-art command and control infrastructure. Additionally, a specialized security force, operating under the leadership of a three-star general, has been deployed exclusively to protect these strategic assets.
Arsenal mainly consists of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, with ongoing advancements in cruise missile capabilities
This security framework aims to prevent unauthorized access, safeguard the country’s defense assets, and ensure swift and effective response in any scenario.
The arsenal mainly consists of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, with ongoing advancements in cruise missile capabilities.
Among Pakistan’s short- and medium-range missiles, the Shaheen-III has a range of approximately 1,710 miles, while the Ababeel can reach up to 1,400 miles.
Islamabad has consistently emphasized that its advancement in missile technology is to maintain a credible deterrent and achieve strategic balance in South Asia.
Dr. Maria Sultan, the Islamabad-based chair of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University and Pakistan’s leading defense and security analyst, told The Media Line: “Pakistan’s ballistic missile program is indigenous and not reliant on U.S. technology, so the sanctions have minimal impact on its development.”
“Moreover,” she continued, “if any listed companies were trading with the U.S., it suggests there were compliance lapses on the U.S. side.”
Sultan added that the “U.S. has lost its role as the leader of the non-proliferation regime since it has been the sole facilitator of not only leading an arms race in South Asia but has contributed towards the defense industry development of India after STA-1.”
STA-1 or Strategic Trade Authorization-1, is a U.S. designation that enables certain countries to access advanced and sensitive American technology, including dual-use items for both civilian and military purposes. In 2018, India became the first South Asian country to receive STA-1 status.
“In a faltering U.S. Middle East policy, the creation of a false narrative surrounding sanctions against Pakistani and Iranian companies serves to deflect pressure and reflects an irresponsible unilateral approach to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which has been previously undermined by U.S. sanctions on Iran,” Sultan explained.
The JCPOA is the 2015 agreement between Iran and six world powers—the U.S., UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany—to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
“The timing and nature of these sanctions appear more aimed at appeasing a domestic audience rather than genuinely addressing missile proliferation,” she added, stressing that “this strategy ultimately detracts from the necessary efforts to control the proliferation of missiles.”
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