US Imposes New Sanctions on Enablers of Iran’s Missile, Drone Programs

Iranians hold anti-America banners outside the former U.S. Embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on Nov. 3, 2016. Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

The United States has imposed new sanctions on people and businesses based in Iran, Hong Kong, China, and Venezuela for enabling Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs.

The Treasury Department announced the sanctions in an Oct. 18 press release, noting that the 20 targeted entities had supported Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and defense ministry in the production and spread of missiles and drones.

“Iran’s reckless choice to continue its proliferation of destructive UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] and other weapons prolongs numerous conflicts in regions around the world,” said Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

“The United States will continue to take action to disrupt Iran’s proliferation of UAVs and other weapons to oppressive regimes and destabilizing actors, and we encourage the international community to do the same,” he said.

The penalized include 11 individuals, eight entities, and one cargo vessel. Among the group are Iran-based equipment firms and their directors, Hong Kong-based tech companies, Chinese nationals, and Iranian officials Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani and Jaber Reihani, the nation’s defense attaché in Venezuela.

The specified entities will be blocked from accessing any property or financial assets they might have in the United States. The sanctions also prohibit U.S. citizens, companies, and financial institutions from engaging in certain transactions with those entities.

On top of the new sanctions, the United States also issued guidance to notify the private sector of Iran’s missile procurement activities and the risks associated with violating the sanctions.

The new sanctions come as the United Nations restrictions on Iran’s missile-related activities under a Security Council resolution are set to expire.

But Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted in a statement that the United States has worked to disrupt Iran’s missile program since “long before” the U.N. imposed those restrictions.

“We will continue to do so, using every tool at our disposal, so long as Iran poses a threat to security and stability in the Middle East region and around the world,” Mr. Blinken said.

Those tools, he said, include not only sanctions but also export controls, diplomatic engagement, cooperation with the private sector, and interdictions.

“We see the horrific impact of Iran’s provision of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles to designated terrorist organizations and militant proxies that directly threaten the security of Israel and our Gulf partners,” he said. “We see the destructive result of Iran’s transfer of lethal UAVs to Russia to target critical civilian infrastructure and kill civilians in Ukraine.

“We remain focused on addressing Iran’s destabilizing proliferation activities, in particular its missile and UAV programs and the threats they pose to the world.”

Accountability

The announcement of new sanctions coincided with President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel in a show of support for the U.S. ally in its war with Hamas, a Gaza-based terrorist organization that is sponsored by Iran.

On Oct. 7, Hamas waged a surprise attack on Israel via land, air, and sea that resulted in the death of about 1,400 Israelis and 31 Americans.

The victims, which were largely civilians, experienced numerous atrocities, including rapes, beheadings, mutilations, and other forms of torture. Hundreds of others were kidnapped and continue to be held hostage in Gaza.

While lawmakers have called for accountability for Iran, the Biden administration has maintained that no evidence has been found to connect that nation to the gruesome attack.

Nevertheless, Republicans in both the House and Senate have introduced a slew of bills aiming to refreeze the $6 billion in Iranian assets the Biden administration released to the country in September as part of a prisoner swap.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a co-sponsor of the Revoke Iranian Funding Act (pdf), said it was “reckless” for the administration to release the funds in the first place.

“The Biden Administration’s reckless decision to send $6 billion to the rogue state of Iran must be reversed,” Mr. Tillis said. “Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, and its continued financial support of Hamas enabled the cold-blooded murder of thousands of innocent Israeli civilians, including the horrific slaying of children.

“This legislation will ensure the United States does not provide the Iranian regime with more resources to fund terrorism and attack our allies.”

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has also announced sanctions against 10 Hamas members, operatives, and financial facilitators in Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria, and Qatar.

In addition to blocking financial and property transactions, the Hamas sanctions also prohibit U.S. persons and financial institutions from making or receiving any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services to or from those sanctioned.

“The United States is taking swift and decisive action to target Hamas’s financiers and facilitators following its brutal and unconscionable massacre of Israeli civilians, including children,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in an Oct. 18 statement.

“The U.S. Treasury has a long history of effectively disrupting terror finance, and we will not hesitate to use our tools against Hamas,” she said. “We will continue to take all steps necessary to deny Hamas terrorists the ability to raise and use funds to carry out atrocities and terrorize the people of Israel. That includes by imposing sanctions and coordinating with allies and partners to track, freeze, and seize any Hamas-related assets in their jurisdictions.”

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.