US Sanctions Suppliers Of Iranian Drones Targeting Ukrainian Civilians

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (KUNA) -- The US Department of the Treasury said Friday its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six executives and board members of US designated Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), a key Iranian defense manufacturer responsible for the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Iran has transferred these UAVs for use in Russia's unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, according to a press release from the Treasury Dept.
OFAC is also updating QAI's entry on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) to include its new alias, Light Airplanes Design and Manufacturing Industries. Finally, OFAC is designating the director of Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), the key organization responsible for overseeing Iran's ballistic missile programs.
'We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to deny Putin the weapons that he is using to wage his barbaric and unprovoked war on Ukraine,' said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen.
On his part, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Iranian regime's military support to Russia not only fuels the conflict in Ukraine but has also resulted in violations of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 through its provision of military UAVs without advance, case-by-case approval of the UN Security Council.
Iran has now become Russia's top military backer, Secretary Blinken said in a separate statement.
Iran must cease its support for Russia's unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and delay these transfers and impose costs on actors engaged in this activity, he added.
As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the individuals and entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.
In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. (end)
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