On February 26, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned six entities who procured unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) components on behalf of entities previously designated by the United States, including Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra (“PKGB”) and its subsidiary Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatish (“NSMI”). The newly designated entities, which are based in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), allegedly operate as front companies for PKGB and NSMI and facilitate the purchase and shipment of key components for the groups.
OFAC designated PKGB in 2019 for being owned or controlled by Hamed Dehghan, PKGB’s chief executive officer and chairman, who was concurrently designated for procuring military-grade electronic components for Rastafann Engineering Company. Rastafann was designated by OFAC in 2017 for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (“IRGC”) and the Naval Defence Missile Industry Group.
The designations were imposed pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets those involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters. As a result of these designations, all property and interests in property of these designees within the United States or within the possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the designated persons. Entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.