The U.S. Sanctions Network Supporting Iran's Drone Program in Iran and Several Other Countries

On Tuesday, December 19, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 entities and 4 individuals based in Iran, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia in connection with the procurement of components for the Islamic Republic's drones. The Treasury Department's statement indicated that the activities of this network and the procurement of American and foreign components worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were facilitated by an individual named Hossein Hatefi Ardekani residing in Iran. Brian Nelson, the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated that 'the illegal production and proliferation of lethal drones by the Islamic Republic of Iran for terrorist proxy groups in the Middle East and Russia exacerbate tensions and prolong conflicts, undermining stability.' Hossein Hatefi Ardekani oversees the supply network for drone components in the Middle East and East Asia. He contracted directly with the IRGC's Aerospace Force and the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization through his company in Iran and coordinated the procurement of defense components through companies in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other countries. Ardekani is the chairman of the board of the limited liability company 'Kavan Electronic Behrad' in Iran, which has supplied servomotors and other drone-use items worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the IRGC. Mehdi Dehghani Mohammadi serves as the CEO of 'Kavan Electronic.' Gholamreza Ebrahimizadeh Ardekani has been responsible for procuring drone-related items for Hossein Hatefi Ardekani and his network. He also manages the engineering company 'Tayf Tadbir Arya' based in Iran and owns and manages 'Basamdad Electronic.' The 'Saman Industrial Group' based in Iran has also contracted directly with 'Kavan Electronic' Ardekani for the purchase of servomotors on behalf of the IRGC. Previously, on October 18, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 11 individuals, eight entities, and one vessel for their involvement in destabilizing ballistic missile and drone programs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. On December 19, the UK, France, and Germany accused the Islamic Republic of testing ballistic missiles, transferring drones to Russia, and enriching uranium. Western powers involved in the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic accused Tehran during a six-month Security Council meeting of 'developing and testing ballistic missiles,' 'transferring hundreds of drones to Russia,' and 'enriching uranium to an unprecedented level of 60 percent.'