The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a network in China that supports Iran’s efforts to produce drones that could later be used by Russia in its war in Ukraine, the U.S. Treasury Department said, Reuters and CNN reported.

The network “is responsible for the sale and delivery of thousands of aerospace components, including components that can be used for UAV applications,” the department said in a statement.

The US Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions in the latest attempt to undermine support for the Kremlin’s war machine and funding for the Iranian regime, as the two countries strengthen cooperation.

The sanctions announced today target a network of five Chinese companies and one employee that support Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) procurement network and are responsible for the sale and delivery of “thousands of aerospace components,” according to the Treasury Department.

In particular, the network supplies components to Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial, which the US government says helps produce the Shahed-136 drones that were exported to Russia for use during its invasion of Ukraine.

“Iran is directly involved in the deaths of Ukrainian civilians as a result of Russia’s use of Iranian UAVs in Ukraine,” US Deputy Treasury Secretary Brian Nelson said.

According to sources cited by The Guardian, Iran is using boats and a state-owned airline to smuggle new types of advanced long-range drones into Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

At least 18 drones were delivered to Vladimir Putin’s navy after Russian officers and technicians made a special visit to Tehran in November where they were shown the full range of Iranian technology.

The 10-member Russian delegation then selected six Mohajer-6 drones, which have a range of about 200 km and carry two missiles under each wing, as well as 12 Shahed 191 and 129 drones.

Unlike the better-known Shahed 131 and 136 drones, which Russia has actively used for kamikaze raids on Ukrainian targets, they are designed to deliver bombs and return them intact to base.

Iran said it supplied drones to Russia, but they were sent before the war began. However, the Institute for the Study of War, as well as senior officials such as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, have confirmed that Tehran continues to send drones to Russia. There are also joint plans between Moscow and Tehran to build an Iranian drone factory in Russia.

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