The United States announced a new round of sanctions on Monday, targeting Iranian and Russian entities involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles and other military equipment, as part of an effort to counter Iran’s growing support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. The sanctions were imposed by the U.S. Department of State, which cited the expanding military partnership between the two nations as a direct threat to European security.
“Iran’s destabilizing influence now extends beyond the Middle East, undermining security around the world,” the Department of State said in a statement. “We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to disrupt and counter Iran’s weapons exports, especially those that support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.”
Among the designated entities is Iran’s national airline, IRAN AIR, which has been accused of supplying sensitive Western-origin goods to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its elite Qods Force (QF). The Department highlighted IRAN AIR’s role in transporting proliferation-sensitive material for Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program, which has been linked to the provision of military equipment to Russia.
The sanctions also target two Russian shipping companies—VAFA WHOLESALE LTD and SEA RIVER SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY—both accused of transporting Iranian UAV-related equipment and munitions from Iran to Russia via the Caspian Sea. Several vessels belonging to these companies were specifically identified as part of the sanctions.
As a result of these actions, all U.S. property and interests linked to the sanctioned entities are blocked, and transactions involving U.S. persons or businesses are prohibited unless authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“These designations are a clear signal of our determination to hold accountable those who support Iran’s illicit weapons proliferation and Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine,” a senior State Department official remarked, adding that the sanctions are part of a broader strategy to limit Iran and Russia’s ability to continue their military collaboration.
The new designations build on a series of similar measures introduced over the past year, as the U.S. continues to clamp down on the growing Iran-Russia military cooperation.
