The United States announced new sanctions on a Chinese businessman and several companies for selling to Iran items banned under U.S. laws aimed at curbing that country's missile program. A notice published on the Federal Register website marks at least the third time since 2006 that Li Fangwei, also known as Karl Lee, has faced U.S. penalties for supplying material and support to Iran's missile development.

The notice said Lee and a firm called Dalian Sunny Industries "have engaged in missile technology proliferation activities that require the imposition of missile sanctions" under the U.S. Arms Control Act and the Export Administration Act. The notices did not specify what banned products were sold to Iran, Syria or North Korea. But they said the sales violated rules of several international programs aimed at curbing the development and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Lee and the firm will for two years face the denial of all new individual export licenses and U.S. government contracts relating to items and materials controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime, a voluntary international effort to halt proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Other sanctioned firms in conjunction with Lee are barred from doing business with or receiving assistance from the U.S. government.