U.S. offers guidance to private sector to curb Iranian drone production

The U.S. government issued guidance for the private sector about legal obligations and internal controls to curb Iran’s UAV-related activities on June 9.

The joint guidance from the U.S. State Department, Commerce Department, Justice Department, and Treasury Department covers due diligence policies and compliance structures. It details the key commodities used in UAV production, explaining the export control and sanction penalties relevant to the private entities providing components for Iran.

Iran has transferred hundreds of Shahed- and Mohajer-series drones to Russia since August 2022, which have been used in frequent attacks on Ukrainian civlians and infrastructure.

"Well, we want to make sure that private entities, certainly technology companies, understand the risks of their products potentially ending up in Iranian hands to be used for the manufacture of Iranian drones in this case that can be used to kill innocent Ukrainian people," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said about the guidance in a comment to Voice of America.

The advisory comes amid news that Iran has been assisting Russia with the construction of a drone factory by sending materials to Moscow on June 9.

White House: Iran helping Moscow build drone factory in Russia

Iran is providing Moscow with materials to build a drone factory in Russia, the White House revealed on June 9. These efforts are meant to provide a steady supply of weaponry for Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek