The US took aim at Tehran's drone programme on Friday by slapping new sanctions on four people and two entities linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In a statement, the Treasury Department said the IRGC has been providing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to Iran-backed groups, including Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and to crisis-hit Ethiopia, “where the escalating crisis threatens to destabilise the broader region".
Iranian drone strikes have been directed against multiple tankers in the Arabian Gulf in recent years, including the May 2019 Fujairah attack off the UAE coast that damaged Saudi, Emirati and Norwegian vessels.
“Iran’s proliferation of UAVs across the region threatens international peace and stability. Iran and its proxy militants have used UAVs to attack US forces, our partners and international shipping,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said.
“Treasury will continue to hold Iran accountable for its irresponsible and violent acts.”
Friday's sanctions were placed on the commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, Saeed Aghajani, who is accused of ordering several drone attacks in Gulf waters over the past two years.
His unit orchestrated the July 29 attack on the commercial shipping vessel Mercer Street off the coast of Oman, which resulted in the deaths of two crewmen, the Treasury Department said.
“Aghajani also was behind a UAV attack against a Saudi Arabian oil refinery in 2019,” the statement read.
Also named in the sanctions was the IRGC's Gen Abdollah Mehrabi.
Two Iran-based drone companies, Kimia Part Sivan and Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar, along with two people affiliated with them, were added to the sanctions list for helping the IRGC modernise its drone programme.
The Treasury said the IRGC's Quds Force has used and distributed lethal drones throughout the region, noting that Iranian-funded groups including Hezbollah, Hamas in Gaza, Kata’ib Hezbollah in Iraq and the Houthi rebels in Yemen have received Iranian UAVs.
The statement said the Ethiopian government has also used Iranian UAVs against rebels in the northern Tigray region.
Open-source intelligence website Oryx reported in August that Ethiopia had secured a contract with Iran for the delivery of Mohajer-6 unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
“After seemingly having arrived at Ethiopia's Semara airport in north-eastern Ethiopia on the 1st of August, the drones' Ground Control Station (GCS) was then pictured as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the base not more than two days later,” the intelligence website said.
The Ethiopian embassy in Washington was not immediately available for comment.
Agencies contributed to this report
More on Quran memorisation:
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
