Administration moves to rein in firms believed to be assisting in weapons

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http://www.fox23news.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=6761FD9F-AE15-4BB7-BBA5-C780BFC2B3B8

Administration moves to rein in firms believed to be assisting in weapons proliferation


WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration acted Wednesday to tighten the financial clamps on two Iranian companies suspected of helping to proliferate weapons of mass destruction through involvement in the country's nuclear program.

The action taken by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control targets Novin Energy Co. and Mesbah Energy Co.

The department ordered U.S. banks to freeze any bank accounts or other financial assets found in the United States that belong to these two companies. The U.S. government also is prohibiting Americans from doing business with the two entities.

Novin and Mesbah are believed to be owned or controlled or acting on behalf of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, which the U.S. government designated in late June of 2005 as being a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction.