The United States sanctioned five people and seven companies in China and Iran on Tuesday, accusing them of aiding Tehran's ballistic missile and drone programs.

The sanctions targeted individuals and companies in China, Hong Kong and Iran involved in procuring key components for "subordinates" of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

"Today's action exposes additional key front companies and trusted agents through which Iran has sought to acquire these components," Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Brian Nelson said.

He added that the US "will continue to impose costs on those that facilitate Iran's ability to produce these deadly weapons."

The sanctioned individuals and firms were involved in procuring accelerometers and gyroscopes used for guidance, navigation and control systems by MODAFL's ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, according to the Treasury.

They include a front company based in China called Beijing Shiny Nights Technology Development Company, and another in Iran called Electro Optic Sairan Industries.

The sanctions unveiled Tuesday are the latest in a raft of designations from the Treasury and the State Department aimed at punishing actors who have contributed to Iran's ballistic missile and UAV programs.