U.S. sanctions 13 entities and targets Russian firms over Iranian weapons trade
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Donald Trump (Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
The United States imposed sanctions on 13 entities and individuals procuring arms for Iran, including two Russian firms, Reuters wrote, citing U.S. Treasury Department, on Sept. 29.
The measures were rolled out as part of Operation Economic Outcast, a wide-ranging U.S. campaign aimed at choking off the illicit financial channels, technology pipelines, and specialized equipment feeding Tehran’s conventional and unmanned military programs.
According to the U.S. Treasury, the sanctions are structured to disrupt Iran's capability to replenish its weapons inventories while escalating operational costs for intermediaries, shell fronts, and logistics brokers aiding Iranian military procurement.
"The Treasury Department will not tolerate support for the regime and will continue to detect, expose, and isolate those who facilitate Iran," stated U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Targeted Individuals and Procurement Hubs
Iranian defense liaison in China: Seyed Asghar Alizadeh Tabatabaei, an official representing Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), was sanctioned for coordinating the acquisition of completed weapon systems and dual-use aerospace components via suppliers based in China.
UAV development procurement: Sanctions hit Iran-based Kavoshcom Asia R&D Group, accused by Washington of procuring electronic avionics for the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), which designs and produces military aviation and Shahed-series strike drones.
Chinese and Hong Kong intermediaries: Blacklist designations were extended to Hong Kong-registered EC Mojo Technology, its representative in mainland China, Li Feng, and supporting network facilitators.
Russian Entities and Direct Military Cooperation
U.S. Department of State penalized three commercial transport and aerospace entities actively facilitating bilateral defense cooperation between Tehran and Moscow:
Yakovlev Design Bureau: The Russian aerospace manufacturer produces the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft. According to the State Department, Russia has supplied Yak-130 aircraft and technical equipment to the Iranian air force, with Moscow having completed delivery of nearly all 24 combat jets contracted by Tehran.
MG-Flot: Cargo vessels operated by this Russian maritime shipping enterprise were tracked transporting armaments between Russian and Iranian ports. In 2024, its vessels transferred Iranian close-range ballistic missiles to Russia; in late 2025, they were documented ferrying air defense hardware and related military equipment from Iran to Russia.
Saha Airlines: The Iranian air carrier, tied directly to the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), was designated for transporting weapons shipments and sensitive military cargo between the two countries.
All U.S.-based assets and property interests held by the sanctioned entities are blocked, and American citizens and corporate entities are strictly prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with them.
Broader escalation and Washington's Iran Policy
Unveiled by Washington on Aug. 24, the campaign focuses on systematically disrupting the offshore banking structures and illicit oil trading networks Tehran relies upon to finance its military posture and evade economic curbs.
Reports earlier surfaced via NV indicating the Trump administration had explored potential sanctions relief and partial asset unfreezing in exchange for verifiable Iranian nuclear concessions — an offer Trump later denied extending. On Sept. 25, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran offered a seven-day truce contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting economic restrictions, an overture Trump rejected.
On Sept. 13, Trump suggested the U.S. could retain a physical presence in Iran and assume operational control over Iranian oil resources, drawing comparisons to U.S. arrangements in Venezuela. On Sept. 15, the Pentagon issued its first comprehensive assessment detailing severe damage to U.S. installations and hardware, confirming that retaliatory Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed U.S. military facilities across eight separate countries.
Direct Pentagon combat expenditures exceeded $38 billion within the initial five months of hostilities, with ongoing operations incurring an additional $2 billion to $3 billion per month. On Sept. 18, Trump declared that the confrontation with Iran had reached an operational turning point, stating he would imminently decide Washington's strategic path forward as U.S. officials indicated strikes on Iran could resume following the November midterm elections.
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