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9/27/2023

Treasury Sanctions Transnational Procurement Network Supporting Iran’s One-Way Attack UAV Program | U.S. Departm…

Treasury Sanctions Transnational Procurement Network
Supporting Iran’s One-Way Attack UAV Program
September 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasuryʼs O ice of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) sanctioned five entities and two individuals based in Iran, the Peopleʼs
Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) involved in
the procurement of sensitive parts for Iranʼs one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
program. This network has facilitated shipments and financial transactions in support of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force Self Su iciency Jihad Organizationʼs (IRGC
ASF SSJO) procurement of servomotors, a critical component used in Iranʼs Shahed-series
UAVs. Iran has been supplying Russia with Shahed-136 UAVs to support Russiaʼs illegal
invasion of Ukraine. One of the servomotors procured by the network designated today was
recovered in the remnants of a Russia-operated Shahed-136 that was recently shot down in
Ukraine.
“Iranian-made UAVs continue to be a key tool for Russia in its attacks in Ukraine, including
those that terrorize Ukrainian citizens and attack its critical infrastructure,” said Under
Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “The United
States, in coordination with our allies and partners, will persist in holding accountable those
who contribute to Iranʼs proliferation of its UAVs to Russia, its proxies in the Middle East, and
other destabilizing actors.”
Since September 2022, OFAC has issued nine rounds of designations targeting Iranʼs UAV
program. Todayʼs action, which is taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, builds
on OFACʼs November 15, 2022 designation of Iranʼs Shahed Aviation Industries Research
Center (SAIRC), a firm subordinate to the IRGC ASF that designs and manufactures the
Shahed-136 one-way attack UAV that Iran has supplied to Russia. OFAC designated the IRGC
ASF pursuant to E.O. 13382 on June 16, 2010, and the U.S. Department of State designated
the IRGC ASF SSJO pursuant to E.O. 13382 on July 18, 2017.

IRANʼS PISHGAM ELECT RONIC SAF EH COMPANY
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9/27/2023

Treasury Sanctions Transnational Procurement Network Supporting Iran’s One-Way Attack UAV Program | U.S. Departm…

Iran-based Pishgam Electronic Safeh Company (PESC) has procured thousands of
servomotors with one-way attack UAV applications, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars,
for Iranʼs IRGC ASF SSJO. Iran-based Hamid Reza Janghorbani (Janghorbani) serves as the
Chief Executive O icer of PESC.
PESC is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for having provided, or attempted to
provide, financial, material, technological, or other support for, or goods or services in support
of, the IRGC ASF SSJO. Janghorbani is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for acting or
purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PESC.

EAST ASIA-B ASED PROCUREMENT NODES
Hong Kong-based Hongkong Himark Electron Model Limited (Hongkong Himark) has
fulfilled several servomotor orders worth more than $1 million for PESC in Iran, with PRCbased Hongkong Himark o icial Fan Yang (Fan) representing Hongkong Himark in these sales.
Fan sold several thousand servomotors to PESC in Iran and undertook measures, such as
falsifying invoices, to obfuscate the Iranian end-user of the shipments. Fan and Hongkong
Himark have also supplied servomotors worth more than a hundred thousand dollars to the
Houthis in Yemen.
Hongkong Himark is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for having provided, or
attempted to provide, financial, material, technological, or other support for, or goods or
services in support of, PESC. Fan is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for acting or
purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hongkong Himark.

T ÜRKIYE- AND UAE-B ASED F INANCIAL AND LOGIST ICAL
FACILITATORS
Türkiye-based firms Dal Enerji Madencilik Turizm Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi (Dal
Enerji) and Anka Port Ic Ve Dis Ticaret INSAAT Lojistik Sanayi Limited Sirketi (Anka Port)
have facilitated financial transactions totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of
PESCʼs servomotor procurement from Hongkong Himark, a ording PESC access to the U.S.
and international financial systems. UAE-based Farhad Ghaedi Goods Wholesalers LLC
(Farhad Ghaedi) has facilitated the shipment of thousands of servomotors through Dubai for
onward delivery to PESC in Iran.
Dal Enerji has also facilitated hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments for illicit Iranian
petrochemical sales in support of the Iran Chemical Industries Investment Company (ICIIC),
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Treasury Sanctions Transnational Procurement Network Supporting Iran’s One-Way Attack UAV Program | U.S. Departm…

which was designated pursuant to E.O. 13846 on September 29, 2022, for, on or a er
November 15, 2018, having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or
technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Triliance Petrochemical Co.
Ltd.
Dal Enerji, Anka Port, and Farhad Ghaedi are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for
having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, technological, or other support
for, or goods or services in support of, PESC.

SANCT IONS IMPLICAT IONS
As a result of todayʼs action, all property and interests in property of the individuals and
entities named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or
more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in
the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. All
transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the
United States) that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated
persons are prohibited.
In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the individuals or entities
designated today may themselves be exposed to sanctions. Furthermore, any foreign
financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant
financial services for any of the individuals or entities designated today pursuant to E.O.
13382 could be subject to U.S. sanctions.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFACʼs ability to designate
and add persons to the SDN List but also from its willingness to remove persons from the
SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish but to bring
about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking
removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFACʼs FAQ 897.
For identifying information on the individuals and entities designated today, click here.
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