US announces biggest Iran-related sanctions package since 2018
Date of publication: August 1, 2025
On July 31, 2025 – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced new designations targeting a global procurement network supporting Iran’s military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program. This action, taken under Executive Order 13382, builds on existing sanctions against Iran’s defense sector and aims to further restrict Iran’s access to advanced manufacturing technology.
Key aspects of the new designation:
Entities and individuals designated:
The action targets Control Afzar Tabriz Co Ltd (Iran), Clifton Trading Limited (Hong Kong), Mecatron Machinery Co Ltd and Joemars Machinery and Electric Industrial Co Ltd (Taiwan), Changzhou Joemars Industrial Automation Co Ltd (China), and Javad Alizadeh Hoshyar (Iran).Sanctioned activities:
The designated parties are accused of procuring computer numerical control (CNC) machines and related equipment for HESA -a subsidiary of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), facilitating advanced aerospace manufacturing capabilities in violation of existing sanctions.Property blocked:
All property and interests in property of the designated persons in the United States or controlled by U.S. persons are blocked.Conclusion
This action underscores OFAC’s continued efforts to disrupt Iran’s military procurement networks and limit its UAV development capabilities.
Businesses and compliance teams should review their risk assessment practices to ensure alignment with procurement activities that may involve the aerospace, defence, or machine tool sectors in the affected jurisdictions.
These changes have been updated in ONESOURCE Global Trade Content.
For more information on how ONESOURCE Global Trade solutions can assist you in managing restricted party screening, please contact your Account Manager or Customer Success Manager.