Switzerland Imposes Additional Sanctions on Iran Regarding Drone Supply to Russia

On Friday, October 7, the Swiss government announced in a statement that it has approved additional sanctions related to the supply of Iranian drones to Russia. This move aligns Switzerland with the European Union, which has taken new actions in response to the use of Iranian drones in Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. According to the Swiss Federal Council's website, the new measures will take effect at 6 PM local time on Friday. The report states that the government has prohibited the sale, supply, export, and transit of components used for the construction and production of drones, and targeted financial and travel sanctions have been imposed on individuals and entities related to Iran's drone program. The Guardian reported on October 5, citing a document from the Ukrainian government, that the Islamic Republic is attempting to distance itself from directly supplying Russia with Iranian weapons for use in the Ukraine war. The newspaper added that the Ukrainian government, in a report presented to the G7 members, stated that approximately 600 attacks with Iranian-made drones have been carried out against cities in Ukraine over the past three months. Additionally, the Guardian noted that the supply of Iranian drones to Moscow has decreased; the Islamic Republic is now meeting Russia's needs through Syria and Tatarstan. The report indicated that, based on existing documents, the Islamic Republic no longer intends to directly meet Russia's needs and the increased use of drones in Ukraine. Consequently, the Islamic Republic has moved part of its arms production line to a factory in Syria and is currently transferring drone production to the Alabuga region in Tatarstan while simultaneously supplying components and parts for the drones needed by Russia. Another point in the report is that evidence presented by Kyiv shows that the Iranian drones used in recent attacks on Ukrainian cities contain European components. According to the Guardian, a document sent to G7 leaders in August revealed that at least 52 electrical components made by Western companies were found in the Shahed-131 drone and 57 components in the Shahed-136 model, which has a flight range of 2000 kilometers and a cruising speed of 180 kilometers. Five European companies from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland, a British multinational company, and companies based in the United States, Canada, and Japan are among the manufacturers whose components have been used in Iranian drones. The Biden administration imposed new sanctions related to the Islamic Republic on September 19, aimed at pressuring Iran to stop supplying drones and military weapons to Russia, targeting individuals and entities in Iran, Russia, China, and Turkey connected to Iranian-made drones and military aircraft. The U.S. Treasury Department stated that the sanctions targeted seven individuals and four entities in these four countries, which, according to the department, facilitated transportation and financial transactions to Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA) concerning the production of drones and military aircraft. Previously, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department had stated on September 22, in response to the Islamic Republic's display of weapons and missiles, that "we continue to work closely with our European allies and partners to use all the tools at our disposal to prevent these activities." This spokesperson emphasized that limiting Iran's destabilizing behavior through diplomatic pressures is crucial, and the development and proliferation of Iranian drones pose a serious threat to regional and international security. They stated, "We will continue to strive to clarify and express our concerns in global public forums regarding the transfer of Iranian drones and weapons, especially those that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions and require coordinated action to address them." The U.S. has sanctioned five companies and two individuals for supplying "sensitive components" for Iranian-made drones. Fighters supported by the Islamic Republic have been accused of expanding the drug network in Syria. Russia attacked a port in Ukraine with Iranian-made drones. The U.S. has sanctioned several companies for aiding Russia's use of drones against Ukraine. The Ukrainian army reported that it shot down 19 Iranian-made Shahed drones.