US Treasury Dept Issues Sanctions on Companies, People for Supporting Iran’s Drone Program

Iran – On Friday, the United States Treasury Dept. slapped Iran with a new set of sanctions; three months earlier, Iran conducted a deadly drone attack on the “Mercer Street” vessel in early 2021.

The U.S. Treasury Department declared the new fines against two senior officials from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and two partnered businesses for providing deadly drones and related substances to radical groups in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Ethiopia, battling rival Tigray leadership for nearly a year.

An official statement by U.S. authorities said that the IRGC has been supplying drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the use of Iran-backed groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah and in Ethiopia. 

“Iran’s increase of UAVs across the district undermines global harmony and strength. Iran and its intermediary militants have utilized UAVs to attack U.S. powers, international shipping vessels and our partners,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated. “The Treasury Dept. will proceed to hold Iran responsible for its violent acts.”

The sanctions announced on Friday targeted four individuals, including IRGC Brigadier General Saeed Aghajani, whom the United States says regulates the UAV duties of the Aerospace Force. 

The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on four Iranian nationals Saeed Aghajani, Yousef Aboutalebi, Mohammed Ebrahim Zargar Tehrani, and Abdollah Mehrabi, and imposed sanctions. Likewise, two Iranian businesses, Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Company and Kimia Part Sivan Company LLC received the same. However, Iran didn’t quickly comment on the new sanctions.

According to the AP News, Iran presently needs to decide on a date to return to the atomic discussions in Vienna, yet it has flagged it will do that next week with an objective of late November for continuing the mediations. The United States and other nations have communicated doubt about Iranian plans. President Biden is set to meet France, Britain, and Germany on Saturday in Rome to discuss various bilateral issues as well as Iran.

The United States has sanctioned Iran many times relating to their nuclear tests. In February, POTUS Joe Biden stated that he would not lift financial sanctions on Iran till it abides with the terms endorsed under a 2015 nuclear agreement.