U.S. Imposes New Sanctions Over Iran Drone Sales to Russia

One of SAIRC’s drone models has been used in attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Odessa and the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, the Treasury Department said.

The department also imposed sanctions on Success Aviation Services FZC and i Jet Global DMCC, two United Arab Emirates-based air transport companies it said worked with an already sanctioned Iranian company to help ship drones, personnel and equipment from Iran to Russia. 

Representatives for Success and i Jet didn’t respond to requests for comment. SAIRC couldn’t be reached for comment.

The U.A.E.-based companies were sanctioned under an executive order allowing U.S. officials to pursue entities that have acted, even indirectly, on behalf of Russia’s government. The U.A.E. government provided cooperation, the Treasury Department said.

“As we have demonstrated repeatedly, the United States is determined to sanction people and companies, no matter where they are located, that support Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. 

“This is part of our larger effort to disrupt Russia’s war effort and deny the equipment it needs through sanctions and export controls,” she said.

The European Union imposed sanctions on SAIRC last month. 

The Treasury Department and the U.S. State Department have issued about 1,500 new sanctions and amended 750 other listings since February in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two said in October.

Write to Richard Vanderford at [email protected]