US sanctions 6 China firms for helping Iran procure drones: What to know
The latest decision follows the United States sanctioning more than 30 entities involved in Iran's shadow fleet.
The United States on Wednesday sanctioned six companies based in China and Hong Kong, accusing them of involvement in an Iranian drone- and missile-parts procurement network.
The US Treasury said in a statement that the designation, part of President Donald Trump’s policy of maximum pressure on Iran, is aimed at disrupting efforts by the Iranian entity Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra (PKGB) to tap into its procurement network and obtain critical missile and drone parts from foreign suppliers. The Biden administration sanctioned PKGB in February 2024.
Treasury added that it would use “all available means” to exposure and disrupt Tehran’s growing drone and missile development and proliferation, which it said destabilizes the Middle East and beyond. It vowed to continue to act against schemes by Iran to conceal the acquisition of sensitive technology for its missile and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) programs, which produce weapons used against US allies and by the United States' long-time foe Russia.
"Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "Treasury remains committed to disrupting the schemes that enable Iran to send its deadly weapons abroad to its terrorist proxies and other destabilizing actors."
