The United States has imposed sanctions on a Venezuelan company accused of helping acquire Iranian-designed drones, amid rising tensions with both Tehran and Caracas.
On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department targeted Empresa Aeronautica Nacional SA (EANSA), a Venezuelan firm reportedly involved in assembling drones from Iran’s Qods Aviation Industries, which is already under US sanctions.
The department also sanctioned Jose Jesus Urdaneta Gonzalez, EANSA’s chairman, accusing him of coordinating with Venezuelan and Iranian military officials on producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Venezuela.
“Treasury is holding Iran and Venezuela accountable for their aggressive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons worldwide,” said Treasury official John Hurley. “We will continue to act swiftly to prevent those who enable Iran’s military-industrial complex from accessing the US financial system.”
The sanctions freeze the assets of the targeted company and individuals in the US and generally prohibit American citizens from engaging in financial transactions with them.
According to the US, Tehran and Caracas have collaborated in supplying drones to Venezuela since 2006. Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) has been under US sanctions since 2020 for its role in selling and procuring weapons.
Tuesday’s measures also included new sanctions against several Iranians linked to Iran’s arms industry.
The sanctions come a day after President Donald Trump warned of further strikes against Iran if it rebuilds its missile or nuclear programs. Trump had previously ordered attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites alongside Israel before a ceasefire ended a 12-day escalation.
“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump said during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully, that’s not happening.”
Iran responded swiftly. President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media: “The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any oppressive aggression will be harsh and regrettable.”
The Trump administration has also taken a confrontational stance toward Venezuela. The US president claimed earlier this week that the US targeted a Venezuelan dock allegedly used to load drug boats, though details remain unclear.
Trump and some aides have falsely claimed Venezuela’s oil belongs to the US and have accused President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug trafficking network without presenting evidence.
In recent weeks, the US has conducted strikes on vessels it alleges are involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, actions many legal experts say violate US and international law. The US has also seized at least two Venezuelan oil tankers following a naval blockade.
Venezuela has condemned these moves as “piracy” and accused the Trump administration of attempting to overthrow Maduro’s government.
