In an advisory, the U.S. State Department warned of “the U.S. sanctions risks for parties involved in transfers or exports to Iran of graphite electrodes and needle coke, which are essential materials for Iran’s steel industry”. “The U.S. government is taking strong action to deny the government of Iran revenue derived from Iran’s steel sector, since such funds may be used to advance the Iranian regime’s malign behaviour, including its proliferation programs, campaigns of regional aggression and support for terrorist groups”, the advisory added.