US sanctions Iran drone executives for supplying Russia

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States announced Friday it was sanctioning the board of directors of an Iranian company that it said shipped drones to Russia for use against Ukraine and for supplying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The US Treasury designated "eight senior executives" of an Iranian drone firm, Paravar Pars Company, for manufacturing and testing Shahed-series military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the IRGC Aerospace Force and Navy and for assisting Russia in its war against Ukraine.

"Iranian entities continue to produce UAVs for Iran's IRGC and military. More broadly, Iran is supplying UAVs for Russia's combat operations to target critical infrastructure in Ukraine," said Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in December said that Russia received 250 Shahed drones from Iran that Moscow has primarily used to attack Ukraine’s energy sector.

The designated individuals include Paravar Pars' Managing Director and CEO Hossein Shamsabadi, Chairman of the Board Ali Reza Tangsiri, Vice Chairman Abualfazl Nazeri, as well as other members of the board of directors.

"The United States will continue to aggressively target all elements of Iran's UAV program," Nelson said.

The sanctions seek to freeze assets that any of the designated officials possess under US jurisdiction and bars all American companies or individuals from engaging with them.  

The US, UK, and European Union have imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran over the use of Iranian drones in Ukraine. Last month, Iran's foreign ministry admitted that drones had been sent to Russia, but claimed the transaction preceded the war in Ukraine, which broke out last February.