Disrupting Iran’s UAV Proliferation to Venezuela and Iran’s Weapons Programs

Today, the United States is sanctioning ten entities and individuals based in Iran and Venezuela.  These designations include a Venezuelan company that has contributed to the sale of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian designed combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and entities and individuals linked to procurement networks that have supported Iran’s UAV and ballistic missile programs.  Iran’s ongoing provision of conventional weapons to Caracas is a threat to U.S. interests in our region.

Today’s action highlights the importance of the re-imposition of sanctions and other restrictions on Iran pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions.  The entities and individuals designated today demonstrate Iran is actively proliferating its combat UAVs and continues to procure missile-related items in violation of UN restrictions.

As President Trump has made clear in National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 (NSPM-2), the United States will take action to curtail Iran’s ballistic missile program, counter Iran’s development of other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities, deny Iran a nuclear weapon, and deny the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) access to assets and resources that sustain their destabilizing activities.  We will not hesitate to hold accountable anyone who supports Tehran’s proliferation activities.

The Department of Treasury actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their supporters, and E.O. 13949, which targets property of certain persons with respect to the conventional arms activities of Iran.  For more information on today’s actions, please see the Department of the Treasury’s press release.