WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has identified and sanctioned companies deemed to have aided the missile and weapons of mass destruction programs of Iran and Syria.

Officials said 24 companies and entities were identified as being suppliers to the military programs of Iran and Syria. They said many of them were based in China, North Korea and Russia.

Among the entities sanctioned by the Bush administration were three Chinese companies, three Russian firms and a North Korean company. Officials said the sanctions -- not yet formally announced -- were imposed under the Iran and Syria Nonproliferation Act in 2005, designed to bolster sanctions on entities that help the missile and WMD programs of either Damascus and Teheran.

China and North Korea have helped Syria in the production of the Scud D medium-range missile, officials said. They said China has been advising Syria on the development of a solid-fuel missile engine.