US Treasury imposes new sanctions on Iran

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on six entities in Hong Kong and mainland China that it said facilitate the acquisition of parts for armed drones produced by Iran, as part of Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran.

The entities, the treasury said, acquire parts for US-sanctioned Iranian firm, Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra, and its subsidiary company Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatis, which it said supplied Iran's drone and ballistic missile programs.

The two Iranian companies were hit by US sanctions before. “Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement on Wednesday, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles.

“Treasury remains committed to disrupting the schemes that enable Iran to send its deadly weapons abroad to its terrorist proxies and other destabilizing actors,” he added.

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

Russia launched 267 attack drones overnight on Saturday, marking the largest single assault since the use of Iranian-made projectiles began, while Iran denied before it had made drone contracts with Russia to be used in the Ukraine war.

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.

On Monday, the United States imposed sanctions on more than 30 individuals and vessels involved in facilitating the sale and shipment of Iranian petroleum-related products, the Treasury Department said.

The sanctions, imposed under Executive Orders 13902 and 13846, targeted 17 entities, 13 vessels, and 4 individuals allegedly linked to Iran’s oil sector.