US official: Chinese companies may be contravening Iran sanctions

The US has asked China to stop Chinese companies from aiding Iran’s missile and nuclear weapons programs, the Washington Post reported, citing an unnamed senior US official. Last month, the Obama administration is said to have given Beijing a list of companies that it says were violating UN sanctions on Iran. However, the official, who declined to name specific companies, said that the White House did not believe China had specifically authorized the activities. A Chinese embassy spokesman in Washington said Beijing would investigate the concerns. According to the US official, most of the deals in question relate to Iran’s missile program, though some companies had been found to be selling supplies that could be used in the development of nuclear weapons.