US issues Iran-Venezuela sanctions over alleged drone trade

Washington accuses Tehran and Caracas of ‘reckless proliferation of deadly weapons’ amid spiraling tensions.

Washington, DC – The United States has issued sanctions against a Venezuelan institution implicit accusations that it helped get Iranian-designed drones arsenic Washington’s tensions with some Tehran and Caracas escalate.

The penalties connected Tuesday targeted Empresa Aeronautica Nacional SA (EANSA), a Venezuelan steadfast that the US Department of the Treasury said “maintains and oversees the assembly of” drones from Iran’s Qods Aviation Industries, which is already nether sanctions by Washington.

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The section besides sanctioned the company’s chairman, Jose Jesus Urdaneta Gonzalez, accusing him of coordinating “with members and representatives of the Venezuelan and Iranian equipped forces connected the accumulation of UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] successful Venezuela”.

“Treasury is holding Iran and Venezuela accountable for their assertive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons astir the world,” Treasury authoritative John Hurley said successful a statement.

“We volition proceed to instrumentality swift enactment to deprive those who alteration Iran’s military-industrial analyzable entree to the US fiscal system,” helium said. The sanctions frost immoderate assets of the targeted firms and individuals successful the US and marque it mostly amerciable for American citizens to prosecute successful fiscal transactions with them.

In its statement, the US alleged Tehran and Caracas person coordinated the “provision” of drones to Venezuela since 2006.

Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) has been nether US sanctions since 2020 for what Washington said is its relation successful some selling and procuring weapons. The US is by acold the largest weapons exporter successful the world.

On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department besides imposed caller sanctions against respective Iranians it accused of links to Iran’s arms industry.

The actions came a time aft President Donald Trump threatened much strikes against Iran if the state rebuilds its rocket capabilities oregon atomic programme.

The US had joined Israel successful its attacks against Iran successful June and bombed the country’s 3 main atomic sites earlier a ceasefire ended a 12-day escalation.

“Now I perceive that Iran is trying to physique up again, and if they are, we’re going to person to sound them down,” Trump said connected Monday during a associated news conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We’ll sound them down. We’ll sound the hellhole retired of them. But hopefully, that’s not happening.”

Iran was quick to respond to Trump’s threats.

“The effect of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immoderate oppressive aggression volition beryllium harsh and regrettable,” President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote successful a societal media post.

The Trump medication has besides taken a confrontational attack towards Venezuela.

The US president announced this week that the US “hit” a dock successful the Latin American state that helium said was utilized to load cause boats. Details of the quality of the strike stay unclear.

Trump and immoderate of his apical aides have falsely suggested that Venezuela’s lipid belongs to the US. Washington has besides accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, without evidence, of starring a cause trafficking organisation.

The Trump medication has simultaneously been carrying retired strikes against what it says are drug-running vessels successful the Caribbean Sea and eastbound Pacific Ocean, a run that galore ineligible experts said violates US and planetary instrumentality and is tantamount to extrajudicial killings.

Over the past month, the US besides has seized astatine slightest two lipid tankers disconnected the seashore of Venezuela aft Trump announced a naval blockade against the country.

Venezuela has rejected the US moves arsenic “piracy” and accused the Trump medication of seeking to topple Maduro’s government.