US targets Iranian drone industry in latest round of sanctions

The United States has announced its latest round of sanctions against Iranian drone and missile production, this time focusing on firms and individuals who allegedly procured equipment for Tehran's drone programme. In a statement on Tuesday, the US Department of the Treasury said the targeted "procurement network" operates on behalf of Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which oversees firms involved in developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles. The latest sanctions came as US officials continued to accuse Iran of supplying Russia with drones for its invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. The European Union has also targeted Iran's drone industry with sanctions. "Iran's well-documented proliferation of UAVs and conventional weapons to its proxies continues to undermine both regional security and global stability," Brian Nelson, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the US Treasury, said in a statement.