WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on three Iranian space agencies for allegedly using Tehran to develop its ballistic missile program.
The US Treasury said in a statement on its website that it had imposed sanctions on the Iranian Space Agency, the Center for Space Research and the Institute for Aeronautics Research.
"The United States will not allow Iran to use its space to launch a program that is a cover for modernizing its ballistic missile programs," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. He said Iran's test launch of a satellite on August 29 confirmed "the threat is imminent."
Pompeo said the US actions "should serve as a warning to the international scientific community that cooperation with Iran's space program may strengthen Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapons delivery system."
According to Reuters news agency, an Iranian missile exploded on the launch pad at the Khomeini space base in northern Iran a few days before the scheduled launch date.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump posted on Twitter a picture of what appeared to be the location of an Iranian missile launcher. An Iranian attempt to launch a satellite in January failed.
Penalties for the first time
The State Department said this was the first time sanctions had been imposed on civilian Iranian space agencies. Washington fears long-range ballistic missile technology - used to put satellites into space - could also allow Tehran to launch nuclear warheads.
According to the US State Department, the Iranian space agency is developing satellites and is partnering with the Iranian Space Research Center on daily tasks and research and development. The agency adds that the agency and the center are working with a sanctioned organization for the production of liquid fuel for ballistic missiles.
The State Department also says the Iranian Navigational Research Institute is running the satellite launch project. Tehran denies its space activities are a cover for weapons production.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country's response would always be negative to any offer of bilateral talks with the United States, giving the Europeans until Thursday to reach an agreement or Tehran would reduce some of its commitments in the nuclear deal.
"We have not and will not decide to conduct bilateral negotiations with America at any time," Rowhani said in a public session of parliament broadcast live, adding that several unnamed parties had made proposals to them "but we have refused."
US President Donald Trump has offered to meet with Iranian leaders and hold bilateral talks without preconditions.