Al-Fassel | 2026-01-07

Iran, a nation known for its destabilizing actions in the Middle East, is now extending its military reach to Venezuela.

This alliance, centered on the trade of combat drones and missile components, represents a calculated strategy to undermine regional stability and directly challenge global security.

The international community must acknowledge this escalating threat and its possible implications for both global and regional security.

Iran's combat drone proliferation

Iran's weapons proliferation has opened a new, concerning front through its sale of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Venezuela.

The US Treasury has exposed how Iran's Qods Aviation Industries supplies Mohajer combat drones, which are then assembled and rebranded in Venezuela as ANSU-series drones.

The Mohajer-6, for instance, is a combat UAV equipped with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, capable of carrying guided bombs.

The Venezuelan company, Empresa Aeronautica Nacional SA (EANSA), chaired by Jose Urdaneta Gonzalez, facilitates this trade, overseeing the assembly of these dangerous weapons.

The transfer of military technology equips a hostile regime in the Americas with tools to threaten neighboring countries and destabilize the region.

This action also extends Iran's influence far beyond its borders, creating broader geopolitical risks and regional instability.

Targeting Iran's military-industrial complex

In response to this clear and present danger, the US has leveraged powerful sanctions to disrupt the key networks fueling Iran's military ambitions.

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions targeting key individuals within Iran's military-industrial network to disrupt operations vital to its defense capabilities.

Mostafa Rostami Sani and Reza Zarepour Taraghi have been sanctioned due to their involvement in acquiring materials for Parchin Chemical Industries (PCI).

The materials, including sodium perchlorate, were procured to support PCI, which plays a significant role in Iran's ballistic missile program.

These actions are designed to cut off the financial and material resources that enable Iran's development of weapons of mass destruction and conventional arms.

US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley stated the goal is to hold Iran and Venezuela accountable for reckless weapons proliferation worldwide.

Targeted US sanctions are essential for disrupting the supply chains that enable Iran's destructive activities and agenda.

The need for international vigilance

Iran's weapons trade with Venezuela represents a troubling alliance of authoritarian regimes determined to undermine global stability and international norms.

By exporting drones and ballistic missile components, Tehran significantly heightens risks to regional security and the broader international order.

US sanctions remain essential for countering Iran's destabilizing activities and holding accountable individuals and entities supporting its military-industrial network.

Successfully addressing this challenge depends on constant vigilance and strong international cooperation among global allies.

Through unified efforts, the international community can deter Iran's harmful agenda and protect regional security as well as the broader global order.