US sanctions military procurement network supporting Iran's drone programme

The United States has censured a sanctions-evasion network based in Iran, China and Malaysia that has procured goods and technology for the Iranian government, its defence industry and its drone programme.

The move came as Iran's defence ministry on Thursday (April 20) delivered the army more than 200 new drones equipped with missile capabilities and electronic warfare systems, and as Russia used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine.

It follows several rounds of sanctions targeting Iran's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), known as drones, and missile programmes.

The network, comprising one individual and six entities, has enabled Iranian company Pardazan System Namad Arman (PASNA) to obtain electronic components from foreign suppliers primarily based in China.

This includes electronic components for use in drones.

PASNA, which is linked to Iran's defence ministry, has been under US sanctions since January 12, 2018. The company also uses the alias Faraz Tejarat Ertebat Company.

The new US sanctions specifically target PASNA managing director Mehdi Khoshghadam, an Iranian national who is "responsible for the company's sanctions evasion efforts", the US Treasury said Wednesday.

"Using numerous front companies, Khoshghadam has sought a variety of electronic components from foreign suppliers primarily based in the People's Republic of China," it said.

Five Chinese companies and one individual were blacklisted in March for supplying components to Iran drone builders.

The new sanctions also target PASNA's front companies and suppliers, based in Iran, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China, that have enabled it to procure goods and technology.

PASNA uses a mix of front companies and aliases when conducting business with foreign suppliers, the Treasury said.

"The United States remains firmly committed to taking action to disrupt Iran's military programmes and its procurement networks," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

"Iran's proliferation of weapons destabilises the Middle East and beyond, and we will continue to work with allies and partners to counter such activity," he said.

Iranian army gets 'strategic' drones

Iran's defence ministry has delivered the army over 200 new drones equipped with missile capabilities and electronic warfare systems, AFP reported Thursday.

In a ceremony broadcast on television, Defence Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani handed over "more than 200 long-range strategic drones" to army chief Abdolrahim Mousavi, the official news agency IRNA said.

Ashtiani was one of a dozen Iranian officials the United States sanctioned in January 2020, who were accused of working to destabilise the region.

Produced by the Iranian defence ministry, the drones are designed for reconnaissance and strike missions, and can carry air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, IRNA said.

The United States and the European Union have sanctioned Iran over its drone programme, alleging it has supplied Russia with drones for its war on Ukraine.

Russia on Wednesday launched a drone attack on Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa using UAVs of the Shahed-136 type, a Ukrainian military official said.

Ukraine's air defences destroyed most of the attacking drones but some civilian infrastructure was hit, the Ukrainian military said.

Ukrainian Air Force commander Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk said 10 out of 12 "kamikaze" or suicide drones had been destroyed by the Odesa air defences.

Shahed-136 is a small Iranian-made, self-detonating drone that can be programmed to fly automatically to a set of Global Positioning System (GPS) co-ordinates with a payload of explosives.

Russia's drone industry has been hit by international sanctions and a number of its drones have been shot down since the start of the war -- prompting Moscow to import drones from Iran.