On Thursday, April 25, the United States imposed new sanctions on the regimes of Iran and Russia.
According to a statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department, these new sanctions affect Pouya Air company, eight individuals, five ships, and 15 entities.
The US Treasury Department stated that these individuals, entities, and ships have played a central role in facilitating and financing the clandestine sale of drones to the Ministry of Defense and support for the armed forces of the Iranian regime, which itself supports the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
According to this statement, the company Sahara Thunder is the primary entity overseeing the promotion of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and support for these efforts.
This company has also played a major role in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of thousands of drones, many of which were ultimately transferred to Iran for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The foreign ministers of the European Union also agreed on April 22 to expand sanctions against Iran’s missile and drone programs. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said a political agreement had been reached to expand sanctions against Iran’s drone program and extend these sanctions to its missile program and potential transfer of missiles to Russia.
The US Treasury Department stated that the Iranian Ministry of Defense, by supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, unprecedented attacks on Israel, and the proliferation of drones or other dangerous military tools to its proxy terrorist groups, continues to contribute to instability in the region and the world.
Brian Nelson, Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury, said the United States will continue to use all available tools, in close coordination with its British and Canadian partners, to combat those who finance Iran’s destabilizing activities.
Pouya Air cargo aircraft has been sanctioned for transferring drones and related cargo from Iran to Russia on behalf of the Revolutionary Guards, one of the sanctioned companies. This airline was sanctioned by the United States 12 years ago for transferring weapons to Iranian proxy groups in the Middle East.
Another company sanctioned by the US, the private company Bonian Danesh Sharq, is a producer of drones, quadcopters, engines, and electronic and digital components involved in a wide range of commercial activities in both public and private sectors and acts as a commercial intermediary for the “Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC.”
Meanwhile, Britain has placed four businesses and two directors in a network of drone companies on its sanctions list with the aim of limiting the Iranian regime’s ability to launch drones.
