US removes 2 Iranian firms from sanctions blacklist

The Biden administration removed on Friday two Iranian firms alleged to have been involved in Iran's ballistic missile program from the US's sanctions blacklist.

The removals include Mammut Industrial Group, and its subsidiary Mammut Diesel Company. Both companies were sanctioned under former US President Donald Trump's failed "maximum pressure" campaign, which was geared at imposing costs on Tehran in order to bring Iran back to nuclear negotiations.

Those talks never materialized, and 2015 nuclear agreement has been badly battered in the aftermath of Trump's efforts with Iran taking steps away from its commitments in retaliation for the US reneging on its own, and imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

President Joe Biden has sought to return to talks with Tehran to resume mutual compliance, but the hitherto indirect diplomatic meetings have failed to do so. The last round of negotiations concluded in June with both sides voicing views that were sharply at odds with each other about their status.

Iran maintained that the talks ended with each party agreeing on a clear text on all issues while Washington said serious differences remained.

It is unclear why the Iranian firms are being removed from the US sanctions list, but the Trump administration alleged in August 2020 they "are key producers and suppliers of military-grade, dual-use goods for Iran’s missile program."