The US Treasury placed well-known Afghan trader Kamal Nabizada on a  sanctions list, claiming links to Iran's QUDS force.

However, the company of Kamal Nabizada issued a statement reacting to the US Treasury's decision, saying there are political motives behind it.

Analysts said that individuals who are engaged in money laundering and Iran’s Sepah-e Pasdaran are being put on the list.

“The US Treasury targeted the network of fuel trafficking of Iran which is under Russia’s support… the property of the people on the list will be restricted,” said Seyar Qureshi, an economist.  

Some analysts said the placement of Afghan traders on such lists will affect investment in the country.

“I think this issue has a political side. The US tries to put pressure on the Afghan companies to restrict their economic activities to kind of press the Afghan government because the private sector plays an important role,” said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, an economist.

The Nabizada company in a statement claimed that the political motives behind the sanctions involved the US's relations with Russia and Iran. “The US, due to its serious disputes with Russia and Iran over different issues, has made allegations against some traders of the countries… which are completely untrue,” the statement reads.

The US Treasury list included entrepreneurs from Russia, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and other countries.