US Looks At Ways To Target Iranian Drone Production

The Biden Administration is looking at ways to target Iranian drone production through sanctions and export controls, and is talking to private companies whose parts have been used in production, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

“We are assessing further steps we can take in terms of export controls to restrict Iran’s access to technologies used in drones,” the White House National Security Council said on Wednesday.

The move came as Ukrainian intelligence revealed that Iranian drones contain parts from 13 different American companies. "Parts made by more than a dozen U.S. and Western companies were found inside a single Iranian drone downed in Ukraine last fall" U.S. media reported citing a Ukrainian intelligence assessment.

"We’re certainly aware of these reports. This is something that we’re focused on," the State Department spokesperson Ned Price told TURAN's Washington correspondent during a daily press briefing.

"... Supply chain security is something that’s especially important in a case like this to ensure that vendors know where their products are going, to ensure that we share information as appropriate and relevant with the private sector as well. And if there are additional steps we can take, including additional export restrictions, that’s something we’ll take a close look at as well," Price said.

The US has previously imposed sanctions on companies and people it accused of producing or transferring Iranian drones that Russia has used to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.