The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against 32 individuals and entities from several countries, including India, for allegedly supporting Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

The sanctions came amid renewed efforts by the Donald Trump administration to build pressure on Iran and prevent it from getting a nuclear weapon. Tehran has said that its nuclear programme is for civil purposes.

According to the US State Department, the sanctioned entities and individuals are based in India, Iran, China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and other jurisdictions that operate multiple procurement networks supporting Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle production.

Among the entities sanctioned on Wednesday was India-based Farmlane Private Limited, which the Treasury Department claimed to be linked to UAE-based Marco Klinge. The two firms allegedly facilitated the procurement of material such as sodium chlorate and sodium perchlorate.

Sodium chlorate is used to produce sodium perchlorate, which is used to manufacture the Missile Technology Control Regime-controlled chemical ammonium perchlorate. Ammonium perchlorate is used in solid propellant rocket motors, which are commonly used for ballistic missiles.

US Under Secretary of the Treasury (Terrorism and Financial Intelligence) John K Hurley alleged that Iran exploits financial systems across the globe to launder funds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programmes.

“At the direction of President Trump, we are putting maximum pressure on Iran to end its nuclear threat,” he said.

“The United States also expects the international community to fully implement UN snapback sanctions on Iran to cut off its access to the global financial system,” he added.

The State Department said the US would continue to use all available means, including sanctions on firms in third countries, to “expose, disrupt and counter Iran’s procurement of equipment and items for its ballistic missile and [unmanned aerial vehicle] programmes, which jeopardise regional security and international stability”.

In July, the US sanctioned six Indian companies for trading in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products or petrochemicals as part of a broader global action targeting 20 entities.

This was done to put pressure on Tehran to cut its oil exports.

In April, the US Department of Treasury sanctioned an Indian citizen based in the United Arab Emirates and two India-based entities for allegedly operating vessels as part of this “shadow fleet” and shipping Iranian oil.