The United States unleashed a fresh wave of sanctions on Wednesday, targeting six entities in China and Hong Kong linked to Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and ballistic missile programs.
Announced by Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce, the measures aim to choke off a covert procurement network fueling Tehran’s military capabilities, marking another salvo in President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against the Iranian regime.
The sanctions zero in on companies tied to Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra (PKGB), an Iranian firm previously flagged by the U.S. for funneling sensitive technology to Iran’s weapons programs. According to Bruce, these entities—based in the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong—have been caught red-handed supplying critical components that keep Iran’s drones and missiles aloft.
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“The United States will use all available means to expose and disrupt Iran’s growing UAV and missile development and proliferation,” Bruce said, emphasizing the threat to stability in the Middle East and beyond.
Iran’s arsenal, including its Shahed-series drones and ballistic missiles, has long been a thorn in Washington’s side. The regime has wielded these weapons against U.S. allies, armed proxy groups like Hamas and the Houthis, and even supplied Russia with drones for its war in Ukraine.
Today’s action, Bruce stressed, is a direct response to Tehran’s “complex schemes” to dodge international restrictions and secure high-tech parts through foreign front companies.
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Executed under Executive Order 13382—which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their backers—the sanctions are a Department of the Treasury operation.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) spearheaded the move, building on prior designations of PKGB and its affiliates. A companion Treasury press release details the six entities now under U.S. crosshairs, though specifics on their operations remain tightly held.
The timing underscores Trump’s renewed focus on Iran since reclaiming the White House. With Tehran’s drones buzzing over conflict zones and its missiles rattling nerves from Tel Aviv to Kyiv, the administration is signaling zero tolerance for third-country enablers.
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Critics may question the sanctions’ bite—China’s economic heft often blunts such measures—but Bruce framed them as part of a broader strategy to “disrupt Iran’s ability to produce these deadly weapons.”
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