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06/08/2023

Road Trip Like Alan Jackson In This 1998 Mauck MSV
https://denverdailychronicle.com/road-trip-like-alan-jackson-in-this-1998-mauck-msv/

Photo: Bring a Trailer

If you’re in the market for an RV, you could always buy a Winnebago. It’s an obvious choice and will probably get you where you need to go. Then again, maybe an Airstream touring coach is more your speed. But both of those choices, as expensive as they may be, are so mainstream. Despite being expensive, they’re too normal. Dare to stand out. Be different. Buy this 1998 Mauck MSV instead.

VW’s ID Buzz Gets A Third Row For The U.S. And A Little Closer To Our VW Bus Dreams

Currently listed on Bring A Trailer, this Mauck MSV is one of only about 100 ever built by Custom Coach Corporation for Mauck Special Vehicles out of Worthington, Ohio. So at the very least, no one will confuse you for being one of those other RV people. You’ll be special and unique no matter where you go, and everyone will be impressed with your weirdly proportioned RV and the way its doors open.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

Oh, did you not know about the doors? Yeah, they don’t open like normal poor person doors. That would be too pedestrian. Instead, they open the way the billionaires intended because what luxury RV wouldn’t have dihedral-hinged front doors? Everyone else is just going to have to accept that they didn’t get the cool doors on a cool RV like you did when you bought a hand-built luxury cruiser.

You’ll also be able to show off all the different parts of the Mauck MSV that were borrowed from other cars. The headlights? Off of a Ford Aeromax. The taillights? Jeep Grand Cherokee. The fog lights? Dodge Viper. Windshield wiper assembly? Toyota Previa. And with a GM Vortec 454 under the hood, you’ll be able to get the engine serviced pretty much anywhere. It’s literally all upside with the Mauck MSV.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

Also, if you check Wikipedia, you’ll find that one of the original buyers of a Mauck MSV was none other than Alan Jackson himself. Is this actually Alan Jackson’s Mauck MSV? The listing doesn’t say that it isn’t. You never know, it might actually be. Who says you can’t have it all? This is the perfect way to get rid of those summertime blues. No matter how much it costs, we say this one is right on the money.

We should also mention that this particular Mauck MSV is being sold by the Western Reserve Historical Society, which is currently run by none other than former Jalopnik writer Bradley Brownell. So that’s pretty neat. Certainly don’t buy it just for the Jalopnik connection, but a little Jalopnik connection never hurt anyone. Especially when the vehicle in question is as cool and rare as a Mauck MSV.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

06/08/2023

Texas May No Longer Require Vehicle Safety Inspections
https://denverdailychronicle.com/texas-may-no-longer-require-vehicle-safety-inspections/

Texas could do away with annual state inspections starting in 2025. Legislators in the Lone Star State have passed House Bill 3297 and sent it along to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk, who will decide whether to sign the bill into law or not. If he does, annual safety inspections will no longer be required to register vehicles in Texas, but drivers will still be on the hook for the same fees.

According to Bob: Why SUVs All Sort of Look the Same

These annual inspections currently cost $7.50 in Texas, and are just one of the requirements to renew a car’s registration. The inspections ensure that vehicles comply with a handful of regulations, ostensibly, in the name of safety. During the inspection, mechanics or technicians go over a laundry list of items to make sure they’re in working order, such as tires, brakes, windshield wipers, headlights, tail lights, and turn signals. Mechanics also honk the horn to make sure it works, and they inspect the windshield to confirm that the driver’s visibility isn’t affected by cracks or breaks in the glass.

If vehicles fail to comply with safety regulations, the car won’t pass inspection and will be ineligible for registration until the issues are addressed. Since the inspections are meant to be in the name of safety, a number of law enforcement agencies and departments throughout the state are objecting to the possible repeal of the inspections. As local news KXAN reports, the Travis County Constable is urging the state governor to veto the bill, and it’s unclear whether Abbott will sign the bill into law or not. He has until June 18 to make up his mind.

Police departments and other legislators who oppose the bill claim that doing away with the inspections will decrease safety on Texas roads, as owners will no longer have to uphold certain safety standards. But the bill’s sponsors argue that removing the inspection requirements will save Texans time and money, which is not altogether true. The current inspection fee will remain, but will be renamed to the “inspection program replacement fee” per the Texas Tribune.

Annual inspections are not mandatory throughout the U.S., which may be surprising to some Texans (like me), who were weaned on the two-step process that renewing registration entails. The Tribune says that 13 states currently require inspections, which puts Texas in the baker’s dozen that still perform them. Some argue that the inspections end up affecting low-income families disproportionately, or that the system is inherently flawed since it can be exploited as well as circumvented easily.

Photo: Meilissa Phillip (AP)

06/08/2023

Driver Seriously Injured When Train Catches Him Evading Barriers
https://denverdailychronicle.com/driver-seriously-injured-when-train-catches-him-evading-barriers/

Trains are bigger, heaver and harder to stop than you.

Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group (Getty Images)

A driver has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was hit by an Amtrak train at a level crossing in Berrien County, Michigan. The driver is reportedly in a stable condition after colliding with a Chicago-bound Amtrak train yesterday morning.

VW’s ID Buzz Gets A Third Row For The U.S. And A Little Closer To Our VW Bus Dreams

The crash, which was first reported by ABC News, occurred on Tuesday (June 6th) at around 11:30 am at a railroad crossing on Pardee Road near US Highway 12. According to deputies from the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, the safety barriers were closed at the time of the crash, but the driver of the car drove around the arms and was subsequently hit by the train.

Following the collision, the 44-year-old driver was taken to hospital with “serious injuries.” The driver is now in a stable condition, but the crash remains under investigation, according to Berrien County Sheriff’s Office.

In the aftermath, Amtrak initially announced that the train would be delayed and that passengers could expect to reach Chicago late in the afternoon. However, it was soon forced to cancel the service due to “equipment availability issues.”

The collision between an Amtrak train in Michigan and this passenger car is the latest in a long line of rail crossing crashes we’ve heard about so far this year. Florida’s notorious Brightline service has had several run-ins with other vehicles at rail crossings, including this incident that left a car hauler in tatters back in April.

Last year, almost 600 people were killed at train crossings across the U.S., according to the Federal Railway Administration, so it’s never a good idea to mess with trains when they cross your path. They’re always bigger than you, heavier than you and will take infinitely longer to come to a safe stop.

06/08/2023

What's The Worst Interior Of Any Car You've Ever Been In?
https://denverdailychronicle.com/whats-the-worst-interior-of-any-car-youve-ever-been-in/

Image: Stellantis

They say you have to go out of your way to find a car that’s truly terrible nowadays. But once upon a time you didn’t, and one of the easiest ways to make that judgment was by surveying the quality of the interior. Today we pose the question to you: what’s the crappiest cabin you’ve ever had the misfortune of driving in? Or being a passenger, because that counts for something too.

I’ll choose the passenger route here, because just a few years before I got my learner’s permit, my dad briefly leased a WK Jeep Grand Cherokee. You know — the bad one. His had a leather interior but was remarkably feature-starved in every other way that mattered. And I remember this mostly due to the sheer number of blank switches all over the cabin but especially on the center stack, replacing options he didn’t pay for. It goes without saying that this would’ve been my nomination for another previous QOTD, “Worst Cars Your Parents Drove.”

I don’t have a pic of my dad’s WK, but if we take just one look at the o**y of grays above courtesy of Jeep’s press materials, you should quickly understand my point. Half of the buttons immediately below the stereo head unit are blanks. A whopping seven of eight along the lower row, also blanks. The Chrysler that made this didn’t deserve to get bailed out.

That’s my answer. What’s yours? Tell and if possible show your least-favorite interior in the comments, and we’ll compile the best responses for an Answer of the Day later this week.

06/08/2023

Pence Town Hall Showcases Civility, Determination
https://denverdailychronicle.com/pence-town-hall-showcases-civility-determination/

DES MOINES, Iowa—Former Vice President Mike Pence took the stage at a town hall meeting to define himself as a principled leader who has the experience and character to dig the country out of domestic difficulties and reestablish it as the champion of freedom on the world stage.

The candidate, standing at centerstage, outlined mostly unsurprising Republican positions on a range of domestic and international issues and responded to questions from moderator Dana Bash of CNN and members of the audience.

Some 125 Iowa voters and guests attended the 90-minute event at Grand View University on June 7.

Yet the unseen presence in the room was former President Donald Trump, who was named or referred to some 35 times during the 90-minute event.

Pence displayed more civility than toughness, which may have been by design, yet stated unequivocal positions on issues including the economy, Ukraine, gender transition for children, climate change, and mass shootings.

The former vice president politely distanced himself from his former boss on several policies but, in the end, gave the strongest criticism of Trump he has offered to date, setting the stage for the first-ever campaign pitting a former vice president against his former running mate.

Pence vs Trump

Bash and some audience members questioned Pence on issues related to Trump, including whether he would confront the former president on his role in the events of Jan. 6, whether he would consider pardoning Trump if convicted of a crime, the alignment of their views on immigration policy, and even whether Pence would support Trump as the Republican nominee in 2024.

Pence at first tried to redirect attention to kitchen-table issues that distinguish him from President Joe Biden.

“I’m running because I think this country is in a lot of trouble; I think President Joe Biden and the Democrats have weakened America at home and abroad. Literally, we have a crisis at our border. We have inflation at a 40-year high. We have a crime wave in our cities. And frankly, that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world,” Pence said.

The former vice president said he believed no criminal charges should be brought against Trump related to the discovery of classified documents in his home.

“We’re the symbol of justice in the world, and the serious matter which has already happened once in New York, of indicting a former president in the United States, sends a terrible message to the world. I hope the DOJ thinks better of it and resolves these issues without an indictment,” Pence said.

Yet Pence distanced himself from Trump on Social Security policy. “The hard truth is Social Security and Medicare are tracking for bankruptcy in the next five or 10 years and under the law,” Pence said.

“That’s why it’s incomprehensible to me that Joe Biden refuses even to have a conversation with members of either political party about some commonsense reforms that would put Social Security and Medicare back on a solid foundation. It’s also disappointing to me that, that Donald Trump’s position on entitlement reform is identical to Joe Biden’s. I mean their policy is insolvency,” Pence said.

Former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence confer during a briefing in Washington on April 23, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Pence also repeated his critique of Trump’s actions on Jan. 1, 2021.

“When the president asserted that I had the right to overturn the election, I said today that I felt that he was, he was asking me to choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution, and I always will,” Pence said.

Later, pressed by Bash, Pence made an even stronger statement about his former running mate.

“Anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution should never be president in the first place. And anyone who asks anyone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president again,” Pence said.

Ghost of Ronald Reagan

Former President Ronald Reagan also haunted the halls of Grand View University. Pence mentioned the 40th president twice, referring to Reagan’s ideals as his reason for joining the Republican party. Pence also borrowed the phrase “peace through strength,” often used by Reagan though not original to him.

A campaign video released earlier in the day evoked Reagan’s optimism and vision for America as a “shining city on the hill” to set the stage for Pence’s campaign.

Pence twice stated, “I believe that democracy depends on heavy doses of civility,” calling listeners to return to a more conversational and collaborative approach to solving national problems. The country needs leaders who can “generate an environment of civility and respect for people across the political spectrum that allows us to get to the table and figure it out,” Pence said.

Former Vice President Mike Pence meets with guests at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition in Clive, Iowa, on April 22, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Stances

Pence’s stance on most issues is typical for a conservative Republican, but some positions may differentiate him from other Republican candidates.

Pence favors continued military support for Ukraine. “We’re the arsenal of democracy,” Pence said. “I hold to what we used to call the Reagan Doctrine … he said our policy in the United States will be that if you’re willing to fight the communists in your country, we’ll give you the means to fight him there so we don’t have to fight them here.”

Pence advocates a compassionate but firm approach to resolving the problem of illegal immigration. He would finish building the wall but not separate families at the border.

Swift ex*****on should be the punishment for convicted mass shooters, Pence said. “We ought to have expedited due process that ensures that anyone that engages in a mass shooting in this country knows that they will meet their fate within a year and a half.”

Social Security and Medicare must be reformed to keep them solvent in the future, Pence believes. Though he did not prescribe specific solutions, he advocated tackling the problem head-on to avoid bankrupting the trust funds.

Peace Through Civility?

One question unasked and unanswered during the event was whether voters will opt for Pence’s polite, even bland, civility over the combative, personality-driven leadership of Donald Trump.

The nature of the choice is evident in statements already made by both candidates in the 2024 campaign.

“I just think we’ve got to get back to the kind of politics that reflects the decency and civility that the American people show each other every day. And I believe we will, and I hope to be a part of it,” Pence said.

A contrast to some of Trump’s remarks.

“In 2016, I declared, ‘I am your voice’,” Trump told a CPAC audience in March. “Today I add: I am your warrior, I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.”

A June 6 poll by FiveThirtyEight shows Trump at 54 percent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, 44, polled at 21 percent, and Pence was a distant third at 5 percent.

The success of Pence’s campaign may hinge on convincing voters that his quiet determination is actually a sign of great strength.

06/08/2023

House Rules and Administration Committee Meets with US Election Officials
https://denverdailychronicle.com/house-rules-and-administration-committee-meets-with-us-election-officials/

Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), ranking member of the Rules and Administration Committee, addressed the issue of cybersecurity and assuring the integrity of voting and elections during a June 7 committee hearing on Capitol Hill.

“We have seen an increase in cybersecurity threats over the past several years,” Fischer said to Christy McCormick, commissioner of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).

Fischer then asked McCormick if there is a “pretty good buy-in” from state and local election officials in using resources that the EAC provides to safeguard voting from corruption and cyber intrusion.

“Yes, obviously, we need to stay on top of all the current threats,” said McCormick. “It’s a never-ending project to stay ahead of the bad guys.”

Christy McCormick, commissioner of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). (U.S. EAC)

McCormick went on to say that 49 states are using the EAC’s Cyber Access and Security Program (CAS) that EAS launched in 2020.

The words that McCormick used in her response, that “It’s a never-ending project to stay ahead of the bad guys,” could be considered a short-form and insightful explanation about the enormity and constantly growing number of issues, challenges and threats that federal, state, and local officials, employees, and volunteers face in ensuring that voting is accurate and properly done.

How do you stay on top and ahead of it all? And none of it is getting easier.

At the forefront of meeting the challenges of running fair and accurate elections is the EAC.

The EAC was created through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), which was passed with strong bipartisan support in Congress (357-49 in the House, 92-2 in the Senate) and signed by President George Bush. HAVA mandates that states and municipalities update and improve their voting processes and procedures, including voter registration, operations of voting machines, and increasing access to voting. The EAC provides resources and guidelines to help the states and localities comply with the HAVA regulations.

The purpose of the Rules and Administration Committee hearing, at which all four EAC commissioners testified, was to learn about and gain a better understanding of the work of the EAC.

“As we’re approaching the 2024 elections, EAC’s mission remains important, even more so as officials are now doing the dedicated planning that it takes to administer elections effectively, while also confronting the array of new challenges, to targeting election workers, the spread of disinformation, and the use of artificial intelligence, even, to mislead voters in our elections,” said Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in his opening statement.

“We’ve got to continue to support the election officials on the front lines and our democracy who need to be able to rely on regular and steady federal funding to do their jobs.”

Welch said funding the EAC is critical to defending U.S. elections from foreign intrusion, ensuring that U.S. election technology is current, and recruiting and training those who work the polls on election day.

Welch mentioned that the EAC plays a vital role in countering the growing incidence of harassment of election workers.

Distrust in Election Process

The committee hearing takes place during a particularly stressful period in the nation, which includes a high level of distrust in the soundness and reliability of its elections.

Politicians from both parties, who have ended up on the losing end of a vote tally—and their backers—have loudly cried foul and said there was a mistake and chicanery had played a role in the result.

Pew Research polling released at the end of October 2022 reported that 70 percent of voters are “somewhat confident about the administration of elections in the U.S.,” which is down from 81 percent in 2018 yet up from 62 percent in 2020.

Pew polling published on the same date showed that Republican voters were considerably less confident about the integrity of the November 2022 elections than were Democrats.

When GOP voters were asked their views on how the elections would be “run and administered,” 11 percent said “very well,” 45 percent said, “somewhat well,” 33 percent replied, “not too well,” and 10 percent said, “not at all well.” The corresponding percentage of Democrat voter response to the question was 35 percent, 53 percent, 10 percent, and two percent.

Seeking Answers on Biden Admin Voting Programs

Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) questioned EAC Vice Chairman Benjamin Hovland about certain Biden administration voting programs.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) speaks at a Senate Banking Committee hearing on May 31, 2023. (Senate Banking Committee/Screenshot via NTD)

“The commission believes transparency with respect to its work is important for voter confidence and nonpartisan election administration,” said Senator Hagerty. “Is that correct?”

“Yes, senator,” replied Hovland.

“Thank you,” said Hagerty. “I’m sure you’re familiar with President Biden’s executive order number 14019, that directs federal agencies to submit plans to the White House for using taxpayer resources to expand mail-in ballots and voter mobilization.

“The White House refuses to release these agency plans. For me, this raises significant concerns about the Biden administration’s voter mobilization plans perhaps being used to help President Biden in his next election.

“So, my question for you, you agreed earlier that transparency regarding election administration is important; for that reason, do you support releasing these plans?”

Hovland replied: “We’re an independent agency. And, so, I’m not in a position to tell the White House what to do. But I think that a piece of election administration that is critical, and one of the challenges we’ve seen a lot of is—”

Hagerty cut Hovland off.

“Let me come back to this,” said the senator. “I sent a letter to President Biden, along with every other Republican member of this committee, requesting that they release these plans. A month has passed, and there’s been no response. If there’s nothing to hide, these plans should be released. It’s very disturbing.”

06/08/2023

Biden to Host UK Prime Minister Sunak at White House to Discuss Ukraine, Economic Security, AI
https://denverdailychronicle.com/biden-to-host-uk-prime-minister-sunak-at-white-house-to-discuss-ukraine-economic-security-ai/

Sunak is expected to lobby for UK leadership in AI regulation, NATO during his first White House visit

President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom at the White House on Thursday. The two leaders will discuss various global issues during their meeting, according to the White House, including economic partnership, support for Ukraine, and clean energy transition.

The potential dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) and the question of who will take the helm of NATO this year are also expected to be on the agenda.

Ukraine and Russia will be the primary topics of discussion, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on June 7.

“The president and the prime minister will also discuss the joint U.S.-U.K. leadership on critical and emerging technologies, as well as our work to strengthen our economic security,” she added.

While the two leaders will focus on strengthening economic ties, there will be no mention of reviving post-Brexit trade talks during this meeting.

Earlier, a spokesperson for Number 10 stated that Sunak will not pursue a free trade agreement with the United States during his meeting with Biden, however, he will discuss a few existing trade barriers.

“As we’ve confirmed previously, we are not seeking to pursue a free trade deal with the U.S. currently. We know that no trade partnership is more important than one we have with the U.S., it’s our largest trading partner,” the spokesperson told reporters. “We are pursuing targeted trade outcomes to break down the few barriers that exist in U.K.-U.S. trade.”

This will be the president’s fourth meeting with Sunak this year. Both leaders met in May at the G-7 summit in Hiroshima; in April in Belfast, Northern Ireland; and in March in San Diego for the trilateral security pact known as AUKUS.

“They will also review developments in Northern Ireland as part of their shared commitment to preserving the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement,” Jean-Pierre said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 19, 2023. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Media)

UK Seeks AI Leadership

The British prime minister will also use his trip to Washington to advocate for the U.K. to become the global center for artificial intelligence regulation, according to The Guardian.

The U.K. government announced on June 7 that it would host the first major global summit on AI safety in the autumn. The summit aims to explore the risks of artificial intelligence, including frontier systems, and how they might be mitigated by internationally coordinated action.

Sunak hopes that Biden will agree to the U.S. participation in the summit.

The prime minister was enthusiastic about the U.K.’s pursuit of a key role in this new technology, telling reporters on the plane to Washington that Britain “is the only country other than the U.S. that has brought together the three leading companies with large language models.”

“You would be hard-pressed to find many other countries other than the U.S. in the Western world with more expertise and talent in AI. We are the natural place to lead the conversation.”

Sunak wants Britain to host an AI watchdog comparable to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and he will also propose a new international research organization, according to media reports.

NATO’s Next Chief?

Sunak made it clear before his trip to Washington that he wanted the United States and other NATO allies to back his defense secretary, Ben Wallace, as the next leader of the alliance.

“Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great defense secretary,” Sunak told reporters early this week.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin greets British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace while arriving for a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington on April 17, 2023. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

He stated that NATO’s next leadership is being discussed among the leaders of countries.

“Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world. We’re one of the only countries that participates in every single NATO operation. We are widely perceived as a thought leader in NATO.”

Wallace, a former British Army captain, is widely regarded as a leading contender to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO Secretary-General in October.

Other possible candidates include Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Mette Frederiksen, the current Danish prime minister, has also emerged as a serious contender. But during her meeting with Biden at the White House on June 5, Frederiksen told reporters that she was not seeking NATO’s top job.

During his meeting at the White House, Sunak will reportedly lobby Biden to support Wallace’s nomination.

NATO is a military alliance made up of 31 member countries. Since the United States is the primary driving force within the alliance, Biden’s support is crucial for Sunak.

When asked about this, Jean-Pierre stated that she would not engage in speculation or discuss the process or the president’s thoughts regarding the next steps.

Ahead of their meeting, Sunak is expected to present Biden with a “Mr. President”-emblazoned Barbour jacket and a copy of a mid-19th-century book written by the president’s Irish great-great-grandfather, Christopher Biden.

06/08/2023

US Slaps Sanctions on Iranian, Chinese Targets Over Tehran's Missile, Military Programs
https://denverdailychronicle.com/us-slaps-sanctions-on-iranian-chinese-targets-over-tehrans-missile-military-programs/

WASHINGTON—The United States imposed sanctions on Tuesday on more than a dozen people and entities in China, Hong Kong, and Iran, including Iran’s defense attache in Beijing, over accusations they helped procure parts and technology for key actors in Iran’s ballistic missile development.

Earlier on Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported the Iranian regime had presented what officials described as its first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile, an announcement likely to heighten Western concerns about Tehran’s missile capabilities.

“The United States will continue to target illicit transnational procurement networks that covertly support Iran’s ballistic missile production and other military programs,” Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in a statement.

Washington has imposed extensive sanctions on Iran over the years, including over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and accusations of human rights abuse.

The Treasury statement accused Iran’s defense attache in Beijing, Davoud Damghani, of coordinating military-related procurements from China for Iranian end-users, including subsidiaries of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).

Washington targeted centrifuge sales to Parchin Chemical Industries (PCI), dual-use metals sales to its intermediary, P.B. Sadr, and MODAFL’s electronics procurement in Tuesday’s action, according to the statement. Both PCI and P.B. Sadr were previously hit with sanctions by the United States.

The Iranian regime’s mission to the United Nations in New York and China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

China and Iran in March 2021 signed a 25-year cooperation agreement to strengthen their longstanding economic and political alliance. China has been a major buyer of Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions designed to choke off these exports.

Among those targeted were China-based Zhejiang Qingji Ind Co., Ltd, which the Treasury accused of selling centrifuges and other equipment and services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to PCI with P.B. Sadr as an intermediary.

Also among those sanctioned were Hong Kong Ke. Do International Trade Co., Limited and China-based Qingdao Zhongrongtong Trade Development Co., Ltd, which the Treasury accused of engaging in the sale of tens of millions of dollars worth of dual-use, nonferrous metals to P.B. Sadr.

Zhejiang Qingji did not immediately respond to a request for comment. P.B. Sadr and PCI, as well as the other companies, could not immediately be reached for comment.

By Daphne Psaledakis