New US Sanctions on Iranian Drones

The US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions yesterday targeting five entities and one individual for supporting the Iranian drone program, in a move aimed at limiting Tehran's military capabilities, especially in the field of unmanned aircraft.

According to a statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the department, the sanctioned entities operate in Iran, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, and are believed to have facilitated the purchase of technologies and sensitive materials for the Iranian Aviation Industries Company (HAIC), the main actor in developing Iran's drones.

Brian Nelson, Deputy Treasury Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated that Iran continues to develop and export advanced drones used to target US forces and their allies in the region, adding that the United States will continue to seek to disrupt these networks and hold accountable those involved in Iran's destabilizing activities.

The new sanctions come just one day after Washington announced additional sanctions on over 115 individuals, entities, and a vessel linked to Iran, including shipping interests belonging to Mohammad Hussein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The US Treasury Department described this package as the most significant since 2018, during the first term of former President Donald Trump.

These measures come amid tense political atmosphere, with prospects for the resumption of diplomatic dialogue between Tehran and Washington remaining weak, especially after the US strike on Iranian nuclear sites last June, according to Reuters.

US President Donald Trump had escalated his rhetoric towards Tehran earlier this week, warning that he would order new American attacks if Iran reactivated the nuclear sites that were targeted.

He told reporters that Iran is sending "bad signals," cautioning that any attempt to resume its nuclear program will be met with an immediate military response.

On the other hand, a senior official at the White House indicated last week that Washington remains open to direct talks with Tehran, but Iranian and European diplomats confirmed that the chances of resuming negotiations at present are extremely slim.