Iran and Venezuela's Drone Deal: US Steps In

The United States has taken action against a group of individuals and companies from Iran and Venezuela. These entities are accused of collaborating on military technology, including the production and use of combat drones in Venezuela.

New Sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department

The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions targeting 10 individuals and companies involved in the military partnership between Iran and Venezuela. The focus is on companies producing Iranian-designed drones and those supplying materials for Iran's missile program.

Key Entities and Individuals

Empresa Aeronáutica Nacional S. A. (EANSA) in Venezuela
Accused of working with Iran's Qods Aviation Industries to build and maintain Iranian drones in Venezuela.
The drones, known as Mohajer-series, are rebranded as ANSU series in Venezuela.
José Jesús Urdaneta González
Chairman of EANSA, accused of coordinating with Iranian and Venezuelan defense officials.
EANSA oversaw the assembly of Mohajer-2 and Mohajer-6 drones at Venezuelan facilities, including El Libertador Air Base.
Mohajer-6 Drone
Capable of surveillance and precision strikes.
Used by Venezuela's military, indicating Iran's growing military presence in the Western Hemisphere.

Broader U.S. Efforts to Disrupt Iran's Weapons Supply Chains

The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. strategy to:

Disrupt Iran's global weapons supply chains.
Curb Tehran's reliance on proxy networks and foreign partners to evade international restrictions.

Pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

The U.S. has also increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing his regime of running a large-scale drug trafficking network. A reward of up to $50 million has been offered for information leading to Maduro's arrest.

Targeting Iran's Missile Program

The latest sanctions also target an Iranian procurement network accused of sourcing materials for Iran's ballistic missile program, including:

Sodium perchlorate
Ammonium perchlorate precursors
Nitrocellulose

Additional Companies Sanctioned

Pardisan Rezvan Shargh
Fanavari Electro Moj Mobin
Kavoshgaran Asman Moj Ghadir

These firms are accused of supplying components and technical expertise to Iran's missile and drone programs.

Legal Implications of the Sanctions

All property and interests of the designated parties under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen.
U.S. persons are barred from doing business with them.
Foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions risk secondary sanctions.

Historical Context of Iran-Venezuela Military Cooperation

The partnership between Iran and Venezuela dates back over a decade:

In 2012, then-President Hugo Chávez unveiled Venezuela's first domestically produced drones, presented as symbols of technological sovereignty.
Later, it was revealed that Iran played a significant role in supplying technology, training, and components.
Iranian technicians helped establish production lines in Venezuela, expanding from surveillance drones to armed platforms.

Recent Developments in Venezuela's Drone Program

After a 2018 drone attack targeting Maduro, Venezuela accelerated investment in unmanned systems.
Venezuela has unveiled armed drones such as the ANSU-100 and experimental stealth variants.
This makes Venezuela the first country in Latin America to field indigenous armed UAVs.

U.S. Concerns and Strategic Implications

The U.S. views the growing Iranian footprint in the region as a strategic challenge.
The U.S. has increased its naval presence in the Caribbean for counternarcotics operations.
Venezuela conducts military exercises and drone patrols, raising alarms in Washington.