The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions today against one individual, eight entities, and a vessel involved in procuring sensitive machinery for Iran’s defense sector.
The designations target a network facilitating the supply of dual-use technology to Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, in violation of U.S. efforts to curb Iran’s weapons proliferation.
The Panama-flagged vessel Shun Kai Xing, owned by Hong Kong-based Unico Shipping Co Ltd, was identified as blocked property for carrying sensitive machinery destined for Iran-based Rayan Roshd Afzar Company (RRA) and Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe, a firm controlled by RRA executives.
The Treasury’s action, authorized under Executive Order 13382, aims to disrupt Iran’s access to resources supporting its destabilizing activities, including those of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Those who enable Iran’s procurement of sensitive technology for its deadly weapons programs will face consequences,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “We are committed to degrading Iran’s ability to produce and proliferate weapons that threaten regional and global security.”
The sanctions target Iran’s Rayan Fan Group, a holding company linked to RRA, which supports the IRGC’s UAV and aerospace programs. Key figures, including Mohsen Parsajam, Farshad Hakemzadeh, and Mohammad Rezai, connected to the IRGC and its affiliates, were also implicated.
Additional entities in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Turkiye, including Futech Co Limited, Dongguan Zanyin Machinery, and Edisa Dis Ticaret, were designated for their roles in shipping or obscuring the origins of sensitive goods bound for Iran.
The Chinese national Zhang Yanbang, captain of the Shun Kai Xing, was sanctioned for submitting falsified shipping documents to conceal Iranian consignees.
The designations block all U.S.-based assets of the targeted parties and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions involved with these entities risk secondary sanctions, including restrictions on U.S. banking access.
The Treasury emphasized that violations could lead to severe civil or criminal penalties, underscoring its commitment to enforcing sanctions to counter Iran’s weapons proliferation.
U.S. Departement of the Treasury: Treasury Targets Entities Procuring Sensitive Machinery for Iran’s Defense Industry
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