US President Donald Trump's administration sanctioned nine entities on Wednesday for "trading or transporting" oil with Iran, EDNews reports citing Deutsche Welle.
The blacklisted companies include three mainland China-based firms, three Hong Kong-based companies and one South African company.
The blacklist was also extended to include two entities connected to the South African company, SPI International Proprietary Ltd. These companies were called out for trading in Iranian petrochemical products.
In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the actions of these entities would "provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities."
The US said its sanctions on the identified entities would deprive Iran of income from its critical oil industry.