U.S. imposes new sanctions on Iran over ballistic missile and drone programs

WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it is designating 32 individuals and entities across Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, China, Hong Kong, India, Germany, and Ukraine for their roles in facilitating Iran’s procurement networks supporting the country’s weapons development efforts.

According to OFAC, these networks have been involved in acquiring key materials and technology for Iran’s missile and drone programs and have supported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its elite Quds Force.

“These networks pose a threat to U.S. and allied personnel in the Middle East and to commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” OFAC said in its statement. “As Iran seeks to reconstitute its proliferation-sensitive capabilities destroyed during the 12-Day War, OFAC is acting to disrupt the procurement of key components, such as missile propellant precursors, and to prevent those assisting Iran from accessing the U.S. financial system.”

The new sanctions expand Washington’s ongoing campaign to limit Tehran’s access to materials and funding that could support its defense industry.

Iran, however, has repeatedly denied U.S. allegations, maintaining that its missile and drone programs are purely defensive and that its nuclear activities remain peaceful.

The move comes amid renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington, including indirect negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and reports of military strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian-linked targets in the region  actions Iran has condemned as violations of international law.

The latest sanctions underscore the Biden administration’s continued pressure on Iran even as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions remain stalled.