Two shipping companies registered in Malta have been branded “proliferators of weapons of mass destruction” and slapped with US sanctions.

Modality Limited and Malship Shipping Agency Limited were added to the list of companies and individuals associated with the Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its national shipping company.

The US Department of Treasury said sanctions were imposed on the two companies, both based in Malta, because they were affiliates of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

The IRGC is a primary target of sanctions by the US and other countries as Washington believes it plays a central role in Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes. It is also suspected of supporting terrorism and of being involved in human rights abuses in Iran.

The IRISL is accused of playing a key role in Iran’s efforts to advance its missile programmes and transport other military cargo.

According to the registry of companies at the Malta Financial Services Centre, Modality Ltd’s official registration address is in Madliena while that of Malship Shipping Agency Ltd is in Tower Road, Sliema.

The US Treasury said that any foreign financial institution knowingly doing business with the two firms faced potential loss of its correspondent account access to the US.

Along with the companies, the US also included two individuals, Seyed Alaeddin Sadat Rasool and Ali Ezati, two IRISL officials, in the list covered by the sanctions.

Featuring in the list of US-imposed sanctions are IRISL (Malta) Ltd, registered in Tower Road, Sliema; ISI Maritime, located in St Lucia Street, Valletta and Marble Shipping and Bushehr Shipping, both registered in Sliema.