US, UK announce sanctions on Iran’s drone program

The United States, US, and the United Kingdom, UK, on Thursday announced widespread sanctions against Iran’s military drone program in response to its weekend attack against Israel.

Referring to Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle program, the Treasury Department, in a statement, said Washington is targeting “16 individuals and two entities enabling Iran’s UAV production, including engine types that power Iran’s Shahed variant UAVs, which were used in the April 13 attack”.

The UK is also imposing sanctions “targeting several Iranian military organizations, individuals and entities involved in Iran’s UAV and ballistic missile industries,” the Treasury Department said.

Tehran launched its first-ever direct military attack on Israel late Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus — widely blamed on Israel — that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

The large-scale attack involved more than 300 drones and missiles, most of which were shot down by Israel and its allies including the US and the UK, causing little damage.

In response to the attacks, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel reserves the right to protect itself.

“Today, in coordination with the United Kingdom and consultation with partners and allies, we are taking swift and decisive action to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.

“We’re using the Treasury’s economic tools to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Iran’s malign activity, including its UAV program and the revenue the regime generates to support its terrorism.

“We will continue to deploy our sanctions authority to counter Iran with further actions in the days and weeks ahead,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

Alongside its sanctions against Iran’s UAV program, the US is also sanctioning five companies providing parts for Iran’s steel industry.