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WASHINGTON:

The United States imposed new sanctions on Tuesday targeting 14 people and companies that help Iran obtain weapons as Tehran works to rebuild its ballistic missile inventories after US-Israeli attacks, the Treasury Department said.

The targets, which also include aircraft, are based in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates and were cited for their involvement in procuring or transporting weapons or components on Iran’s behalf, Treasury said in a statement.

The new sanctions come as Washington and Tehran are at a standoff over whether to begin a second round of talks to reach a deal that would keep the Strait of Hormuz open and bring an end to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.