U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan Firms Over Drone Trade

Tue Dec 30 2025 23:00:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The U.S. Treasury Department has announced sanctions targeting individuals and companies from Iran and Venezuela catering to Iran's drone and ballistic missile programs, intensifying geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

In a bid to combat what it describes as the dangerous proliferation of weapons, the United States has sanctioned ten individuals and entities linked to Iran and Venezuela. These actions are part of ongoing measures against Iran's nuclear ambitions and are seen as efforts to protect U.S. allies in the region.

WASHINGTON (FluxDaily) — The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and firms from Iran and Venezuela, accusing them of playing a significant role in supporting Iran’s drone trade and ballistic missile program, actions which the administration under President Trump claims jeopardizes security interests in the Middle East.

These sanctions were announced as part of renewed efforts to enforce United Nations restrictions on Iran regarding its nuclear program, amid tensions that have seen Iran maintain that its nuclear pursuits are entirely peaceful.

Among those targeted in the new sanctions are a Venezuelan firm alongside its chairman, identified for allegedly procuring Iranian drones; three Iranian men who were attempting to buy chemicals that could be used in ballistic missiles; and an assortment of individuals and companies associated with the Rayan Fan Group, an entity previously sanctioned by the U.S.

In February, the Trump administration had already reintroduced a maximum pressure campaign against Iran, aiming to halt its nuclear weapon development. This strategy included military strikes on crucial Iranian enrichment facilities earlier in the summer following escalated hostilities between Israel and Iran, which had been initiated by a rapid sequence of assaults against Iranian military grounds.

This week, Trump cautioned Iran of potential further military actions should they try to revive their nuclear program during discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.

“Treasury is holding Iran and Venezuela accountable for their aggressive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons around the world,” emphasized John K. Hurley, Treasury’s Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. He vowed continued actions to prevent those supporting Iran’s military-industrial complex from accessing U.S. financial systems.

Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the State Department, highlighted ongoing Iranian violations of UN restrictions, asserting that, “Iran’s ongoing provision of conventional weapons to Caracas is a threat to U.S. interests in our region.”