Treasury Department sanctions supporters of Iran's military drone program

Clyde Hughes
·2 min read
18
UPI
Iranian new drone 'Mohajer 10' is displayed during a ceremony on the occasion of Iran Defense Industry Day, in an exhibition in the defense ministry in Tehran, on August 23. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned companies on Tuesday that assist Iran with its drone program. Photo by Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA-EFE

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned seven individuals and four entities helping Iran with its military drone program, which has benefitted Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.

Those sanctioned include one company and two individuals from China, three companies from Russia and two individuals from Turkey.

The department said the network the sanctions are targeting has facilitated shipments and financial transactions in support of previously sanctioned Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, or HESA, Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle and military aircraft producer.

"Iran's continued, deliberate proliferation of its UAVs enables Russia, its proxies in the Middle East, and other destabilizing actors to undermine global stability," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson in a statement.

"The United States will continue to take action against Iran's UAV procurement networks, and encourages jurisdictions to exercise the due diligence necessary to prevent the export of these components to Iran."

Iranians sanctioned included Mehdi Gogerdchian, HESA's current managing director; Hamidreza Noori, HESA's vice chairperson; and Husayn A'ini, HESA's director of UAV manufacturing.

The Chinese tech company Shenzhen Jiasibo Technology Co. Ltd. was sanctioned along with Dong Wenbo, who represented Guilin Alpha in the sale of aircraft brake disks to HESA, and Su Chunpeng, the managing director and owner of Shenzhen Jiasibo.

The Russian companies Delta-Aero Technical Service Center LLC, Joint Stock Company Scientific Production Enterprise Aerosila and Joint Stock Company Star were slated for sanctions. Turkey money exchangers Mehmet Tokdemir and Alaaddin Aykutk were sanctioned, as well.