The United States has imposed sanctions against the Iranian manufacturer of drone components, with which Russia fires at Ukraine

The United States has imposed sanctions on an Iranian company that produced components for drones used by Russia in the war in Ukraine, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

In addition to this company, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against 7 companies, 11 individuals and one vessel, which are based in Iran, Hong Kong, China and Venezuela and provide components to Iran’s programs for the production of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. This is stated in a press release on the website of the Ministry of Finance on October 18.

“Iran’s reckless choice to continue to distribute UAVs and other weapons continues numerous conflicts in regions around the world,” said the Deputy Minister of Finance for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

He emphasizes that the US will continue to take steps to prevent Iran from distributing UAVs and other weapons to repressive regimes.

“We call on the international community to do the same,” added Nelson.

Iran’s Sarmad (Sarmad Electronic Sepahan Company), which produced components for the Mohajer-6 UAV shot down by Ukrainian forces, is among the companies against which the US Treasury has imposed sanctions. Mohajer-6 is a drone that provides reconnaissance and surveillance, but is also capable of striking.

It is manufactured by Iran’s Qods Aviation Industries (QAI). This drone was used by Russian troops in Ukraine. Sanctions against QAI were introduced by the USA back in December 2013.

In July 2023, the WSJ reported that Ukrainian investigators had for the first time found components manufactured by Sarmad in downed drones.

Since September 2022, ten stages of sanctions aimed at Iran’s UAV program have already been announced.

In September 2023, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 5 entities and 2 individuals from Iran, China, Hong Kong, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates that were involved in the procurement of critical components for Iran’s drone program. Shahed.

The sanctioned network facilitated supplies and financial transactions in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. One of the engine components purchased by the network was found in the wreckage of a Russian Shahed-136 kamikaze drone that was recently shot down in Ukraine.

As the Voice of America reported, companies registered in Germany, Finland, Oman, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Russian companies, were also previously included in the US sanctions list.

On September 19, the United States imposed sanctions on seven individuals and four entities based in Iran, China, Turkey and Russia in connection with the production of drones.

As the Voice of America previously wrote, the United States accuses Iran of supplying Russia with drones, which Moscow uses to bombard Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure facilities.

See also: State Department criticizes China for giving Putin “a platform to advance his aggressive war against Ukraine”