WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against 45 Iranian nationals and two entities, accusing them of conducting malign cyber activities.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that it had designated Iranian cyber threat group Advanced Persistent Threat 39 (APT39), 45 associated individuals, and Rana Intelligence Computing Company (Rana).

According to the statement, APT39 and Rana were blacklisted due to "being owned or controlled" by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

"The Iranian regime uses its Intelligence Ministry as a tool to target innocent civilians and companies, and advance its destabilizing agenda around the world," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.

All property and interests of the property of the designated individuals in the United States have been blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging any transactions with them, said the statement.