New US sanctions target Iran drone procurement network

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on six firms and two individuals in Iran, China and the United Arab Emirates accused of supplying drone components to Iran’s Quds Aviation Industries and its military partners.

The move marks part of a stepped-up enforcement effort under a recent presidential directive ordering a “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions on Tehran.

“Iran’s proliferation of UAVs and missiles—both to its terrorist proxies in the region and to Russia for its use against Ukraine—continues to threaten civilians, US personnel, and our allies and partners,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

“Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran’s military-industrial complex and its proliferation of UAVs, missiles, and conventional weapons that often end up in the hands of destabilizing actors, including terrorist proxies,” he added in a statement.

“The United States will use all available means to expose and disrupt Iran’s growing UAV and missile development programs and weapons proliferation,” the State Department said in support of the sanctions. “We will continue to act against the complex schemes Iran uses in third countries to conceal its acquisition and its transfers of sensitive technology.”

"We will continue to act against the complex schemes Iran uses in third countries to conceal its acquisition and its transfers of sensitive technology. Iran uses this technology and the proceeds from arms sales to bolster its military industrial base to build missiles and UAVs, which are used against fellow countries, as well as exported to Russia, terrorist proxy groups around the Middle East, and to other actors of concern," added Tammy Bruce, the State Department Spokesperson.

The designated entities include Rah Roshd, an Iran-based supplier linked to the Mohajer-6 drone, and Chinese manufacturer Zibo Shenbo, which allegedly shipped tens of thousands of motors to Iran. UAE firms, including Infracom and Diamond Castle, were named as intermediaries.

The sanctions freeze US-based assets and bar transactions with US persons. Concurrently, the Justice Department charged two Iranians with conspiring to smuggle US technology to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian transnational paramilitary group the US classifies as a foreign terrorist organization.

Western powers accuse Iran of providing drones and missiles to Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Iranian drones have repeatedly been deployed in attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and other civilian targets. The Shahed 136 drone is typically launched alongside cruise and ballistic missile attacks to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.