US Sanctions Iranian Companies, Officers Related To Drone Program

The US Treasury Department on Friday announced new sanctions related to Iran’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program of the IRGC and its Qods (Quds) Force.

A statement said that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a group of companies and individuals as well as IRGC’s UAV force commander Saeed Aghajani.

US forces in southern Syria were targeted by pro-Iran militias using drones last week, similar to attacks on US bases in Iraq. Although the US did not name Iran directly at the time, unnamed officials later said that Washington believed Iran resourced and encouraged the attack.

“The IRGC-QF has used and proliferated lethal UAVs for use by Iran-supported groups, including Hizballah, HAMAS, Kata’ib Hizballah, and the Houthis, and to Ethiopia, where the escalating crisis threatens to destabilize the broader region. Lethal UAVs have been used in attacks on international shipping and on U.S. forces,” the statement said.

Besides Aghajani, US sanctioned Kimia Part Sivan Company (KIPAS), Abdollah Mehrabi an IRGC official and Mado Company.

The new sanctions come as the US is trying to revive the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), while Tehran is making more demands for the removal of previous sanctions.