US Imposes Sanctions Targeting Iranian UAV, Ballistic Missile Industries

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US Treasury designated on Friday six executives of Iranian defense manufacturer Qods Aviation Industries (QAI) and the director of Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) for alleged drone deliveries to Russia and the development of the nation's ballistic missile program, according to a release.

"We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to deny Putin the weapons that he is using to wage his barbaric and unprovoked war on Ukraine," US Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen said in the release. "The Kremlin’s reliance on suppliers of last resort like Iran shows their desperation in the face of brave Ukrainian resistance and the success of our global coalition in disrupting Russian military supply chains and denying them the inputs they need to replace weapons lost on the battlefield."

Overseen by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), QAI is a major defense manufacturer responsible for the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). AIO is the main organization responsible for overseeing Iran’s ballistic missile programs.

The sanctioned individuals include Seyed Hojatollah Ghoreishi, chairman of QAI’s board of directors and head of MODAFL’s Supply, Research, and Industry Affairs section; deputy minister of defense Ghassem Damavandian, QAI managing director and board member; Hamidreza Sharifi-Tehrani, QAI primary board member; Reza Khaki, QAI board member; Majid Reza Niyazi-Angili, QAI board member; Vali Arlanizadeh, QAI board member; and AIO director Nader Khoon Siavash.

Western countries have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying combat drones to Russia for use in Ukraine. Both, Moscow and Tehran, reject the allegations.