Iran appears to be stepping up the rebuilding of its ballistic missile program, despite the reintroduction last month of United Nations sanctions that ban arms sales to the country and ballistic missile activity.

Since the end of September, Iran has reportedly received from China 2000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a missile fuel precursor, enough for roughly 500 ballistic missiles, CNN reported on Wednesday. In February, CNN reported the shipment of 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate from China to Iran.

Iran's nuclear program is now governed solely by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty after UN Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA expired.

A Pakistani smuggler was sentenced to 40 years for Iranian weapons trafficking to Houthis that led to two Navy SEALs' deaths during a boarding operation in the Arabian Sea.

A deal regulating and monitoring Iran's nuclear activities has expired and deadlock looms over negotiations for a new agreement.

A 40-year sentence for transporting Iranian weapons systems marks a major victory against arms trafficking and global weapons proliferation networks.