The 14 -- which also include Lebanon's radical Hezbollah movement ( which is funded by Iran and supported by Syria) and firms from China, Malaysia, Mexico and Singapore -- are accused of selling to or buying from those governments missile technology or material to make weapons of mass destruction.

The sanctions, announced by the State Department yesterday, bar any U.S. aid, government contracts or export licenses to the named entities for two years. They may be renewed at any time during that period.

State Department officials refused to comment on specific accusations against those listed in the notice because the determinations involved sensitive intelligence. But, they said Washington has "credible evidence" that they had been involved in illicit transfers.

The measures are largely symbolic because many of the targets are already subject to U.S. sanctions for previous similar transactions, most recently in December 2006, officials said.

However, it is the first time that the Syrian navy and air force have been identified as violators of the, Iran and Syria Nonproliferation Ac.

It is also the first listing for Hezbollah, which is backed by both Syria and Iran and is covered by existing U.S. sanctions on "foreign terrorist organizations."

Other violators named in yesterday's notice are:
•China National Precision Machinery Import/Export Corp.
•Shanghai Non-Ferrous Metals Pudong Development Trade Company of China
•Zibo Chemet Equipment Company of China
•Iran's Defense Industries Organization
•Singapore's Sokkia company
•Syria's Army Supply Bureau
•Syria's Industrial Establishment of Defense
•Challenger Corp. of Malaysia
•Malaysia's Target Airfreight
•Mexico's Aerospace Logistics Services
•Arif Durrani, a Pakistan citizen

US warns Austrian oil company on dealing with Iran

The United States said Monday it would try to discourage a major Austrian oil company from following through on a proposed deal to help develop an Iranian gas field, noting the venture could draw US sanctions.

Austria's OMV, the biggest oil and gas group in Central Europe, announced Saturday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to jointly develop parts of the South Pars gas field, one of the largest in the world.

It will also set up a liquefaction facility for the Iran Liquefied Natural Gas project and conclude further supply agreements for LNG from Iran.

"We're going to talk to the Austrian government, talk to the firm involved and raise with them the idea that perhaps this not the most appropriate time to be making or committing to making large investments in the Iranian oil and gas sector," US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

Chinese companies deny dealing with Iran & Syria

Two Chinese companies, hit with fresh US sanctions aimed at stopping banned military dealings with Iran and Syria, denied Tuesday that they were doing business with the two nations.

"We don't have any military dealings with either Iran or Syria," Wang Qing, secretary of manager of Beijing-based China National Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation, said.

The Zibo Chemet Equipment Company (China), another company that is targeted by the sanctions announced by Washington on Monday, also denied any involvement.

"We used to have a little business with Iran and Syria, but no more now," said an official surnamed Wang, with the international trading department of the company that is based in the eastern province of Shandong.

Picture: A man with a huge Chinese flag in Beijing. Two Chinese companies, hit with fresh US sanctions aimed at stopping banned military dealings with Iran and Syria, denied Tuesday that they were doing business with the two nations

Sources: AP, Ya Libnan