The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh non-proliferation sanctions on seven individuals and entities across Iran, Russia, Italy and Nigeria for allegedly supporting weapons procurement on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The action, announced by the US treasury department‘s office of foreign assets control (OFAC), comes after Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and is aimed at disrupting procurement and financial networks that Washington says sustain Iran’s weapons programmes.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions were part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to deny Iran access to resources supporting its military activities.“President Trump has been clear that Iran must denuclearize. Treasury will continue to target and disrupt the illicit procurement networks that fund Iran’s weapons programs and war machine,” Bessent said.According to the Treasury Department, the sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13382, which targets weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferators and their supporters.
Individuals and entities sanctioned
- Behrouz Namazi (Iran): General director of Tehran-based Nika Jet Company, accused of seeking to procure weapons for the IRGC.
- Nika Jet Company (Iran): Designated for allegedly acting on behalf of Namazi.
- Mariya Vladimirovna Selina (Russia): Procurement agent and head of the finance department at Moscow-based Avratek OOO, accused of supporting procurement efforts for the IRGC.
- Avratek OOO (Russia): Sanctioned for allegedly providing support to Namazi.
- Vadim Anatolyevich Druzhbin (Russia): Avratek employee accused of coordinating travel and Iranian shipments.
- Vanguard Tactical Supply Limited (Nigeria): Accused of acting as an intermediary in weapons procurement efforts.
- Dounia Ettaib (Italy): Alleged participant in procurement activities linked to Namazi.
Under the sanctions, all property and interests of the designated individuals and entities that are subject to US jurisdiction will be frozen, and US persons will generally be prohibited from conducting transactions with them. The measures also expose foreign financial institutions dealing with the sanctioned parties to potential secondary sanctions.The Treasury said the latest designations build on sanctions announced in May and June this year targeting procurement networks linked to the IRGC and Iran’s Centre for Innovation and Technology Cooperation (CITC), including networks involved in sourcing man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS).
