The Treasury Department on Thursday levied sanctions against an Iranian company it accused of transporting drones to Russia and three other companies and a person it said were involved in the production of drones.
Russia has reportedly sought Iranian drones for use in Ukraine and has already deployed dozens on the battlefield, according to Ukrainian officials. The Treasury Department accused Tehran-based company Safiran Airport Services of coordinating Russian military flights that transported drones between Iran and Russia.
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“Russia is making increasingly desperate choices to continue its unprovoked war against Ukraine, particularly in the face of our unprecedented sanctions and export controls,” Brian E. Nelson, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
“The United States is committed to strictly enforcing our sanctions against both Russia and Iran and holding accountable Iran and those supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” he continued.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that Russia is turning to Iran in a desperate attempt to procure military supplies because of supply shortages caused, in part, by U.S. sanctions.
“The Russian military is suffering from major supply shortages in Ukraine, in part because of sanctions and export controls, forcing Russia to turn to unreliable countries like Iran for supplies and equipment,” Blinken said in a statement.
The Treasury Department also sanctioned the Paravar Pars Company, Design and Manufacturing of Aircraft Engines, Baharestan Kish Company, and Rahmatollah Heidari, the Baharestan Kish Company’s managing director, accusing them of overseeing drone-related projects for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Treasury Department accused Paravar Pars Company of reverse engineering and reproducing U.S.- and Israeli-made drones captured by the IRGC.
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The IRGC is designated as a terrorist entity by the U.S. government.
“We will also not hesitate to target producers and procurers who contribute to Iran and its IRGC’s UAV program, further demonstrating our resolve to continue going after terrorist proxies that destabilize the Middle East,” Nelson said. “Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine.”
