The United States on Tuesday imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iranian and Venezuelan individuals and companies accused of facilitating the transfer of military technology between Tehran and Caracas, including the production of combat drones used by Venezuela's armed forces.
The measures, announced by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, designate 10 individuals and entities linked to what U.S. officials describe as an expanding military partnership between Iran and Venezuela.
The sanctions focus on companies involved in assembling Iranian-designed unmanned aerial vehicles in Venezuela and on procurement networks supplying chemical components for Iran's ballistic missile program, as The Miami Herald reports.
"Treasury is holding Iran and Venezuela accountable for their aggressive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons around the world," Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said in a statement, adding that the United States would continue acting to restrict access to the U.S. financial system for those supporting Iran's military-industrial complex.
At the center of the action is Venezuela-based Empresa Aeronáutica Nacional S.A. (EANSA), which U.S. officials say worked with Iran's Qods Aviation Industries to assemble and maintain Mohajer-series drones on Venezuelan soil.
The drones, rebranded by Venezuela as the ANSU series, include the Mohajer-6, a platform capable of surveillance and precision strikes. Treasury said EANSA's chairman, José Jesús Urdaneta González, coordinated directly with Iranian and Venezuelan defense officials and oversaw assembly at facilities including El Libertador Air Base.
-
At Least Two Sanctioned Tankers Made It To Venezuela As U.S. Continues Enforcing Its Blockade On Sanctioned Vessels
-
Venezuela's Second in Command Says U.S. 'Imperial Madness' Won't Spoil Holidays in the Country
-
The Trump Administration Has Now Carried 30 Strikes Against Alleged Drug Vessels And Killed At Least 107 People
The sanctions also target Iranian businessman Mostafa Rostami Sani and several Iran-linked firms accused of sourcing missile-related materials such as ammonium perchlorate precursors and nitrocellulose for Iran's defense sector. Treasury said these networks relied on intermediaries and layered corporate structures to evade restrictions.
The action comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, including recent U.S. seizures of oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said earlier this month that Iran offered cooperation "in all areas" after the seizures, which Venezuela has labeled "piracy." U.S. officials say the interdictions target sanctions evasion and funding for drug trafficking networks.
The sanctions also follow reports reviewed by U.S. authorities alleging a long-running financial relationship in which Venezuelan state institutions helped Iran bypass international sanctions through oil revenues and joint projects. U.S. officials are examining whether those arrangements supported Iran's military and nuclear programs.
Treasury said all property of the designated parties under U.S. jurisdiction is frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from doing business with them. Foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions could face secondary sanctions.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
