U S Treasury names two Iranians for nuclear ties

Washington, Jun 15 (Reuters) The U S Treasury Department today said it will freeze the U S assets of two Iranians for their suspected involvement in Iran's nuclear program.

The department named Mohammad Qannadi and Ali Hajinia Leilabadi under an executive order dealing with people found to be associated with weapons of mass destruction.

This means U S citizens are prohibited from doing business with these two individuals and any of their assets in the United States will be frozen, the department said in a statement.

''Even individuals who are active in Iran's nuclear program are going to be held to account for their conduct and isolated by the international financial community,'' said Stuart Levey, undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in the statement.

Qannadi ''acts or purports to act'' for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), which manages Iran's overall nuclear program, according to Treasury.

Leilabadi does the same for the Mesbah Energy Co, a subordinate of AEOI, it said.

REUTERS RS HT2235