The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned five Iranian individuals for providing ballistic missile-related technical expertise to Yemen's Huthis. The individuals have also transferred weapons previously unseen in Yemen, acting on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). This move comes after a United Nations Panel of Experts confirmed that missiles and other military equipment used by the Huthis against Saudi Arabia were of Iranian origin.
Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin stated, "Treasury is targeting five Iranian officials who are associated with the IRGC-QF and Iran’s ballistic missile programs. Their actions have enabled the Huthis to launch missiles at Saudi cities and oil infrastructure. They have also disrupted humanitarian aid efforts in Yemen, and threatened freedom of navigation in key regional waterways." Mnuchin emphasized that the United States will not tolerate Iranian support for Huthi rebels attacking Saudi Arabia.
This action aligns with recent U.S. measures targeting Iran's exploitation of Iraqi and Emirati financial systems to support its proxies through the IRGC-QF. Regional allies are urged to be vigilant as Iran attempts to send equipment and materiel to the Huthis in Yemen.
President Trump had previously announced on May 8, 2018, that the U.S. would cease participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), underscoring efforts to counteract Iran's regional aggression. Recent incidents include Iranian forces in Syria firing rockets into Israel, further discrediting Tehran’s claims about its peacekeeping efforts abroad.
The designated individuals linked to Iran's ballistic missile program include Mahmud Bagheri Kazemabad and Mohammad Agha Ja’fari, both connected with the IRGC Aerospace Forces Al-Ghadir Missile Command (ASF AGMC). Javad Bordbar Shir Amin and Mehdi Azarpisheh are also designated under similar grounds related to their roles within the IRGC or IRGC-QF.
Additionally, Sayyed Mohammad Ali Haddadnezhad Tehrani is designated under E.O. 13382 for his involvement with or support for the IRGC Research and Self-Sufficiency Jehad Organization (IRGC RSSJO), which focuses on ballistic missile research and development.
These sanctions block all property and interests under U.S jurisdiction belonging to those designated, prohibiting U.S persons from engaging in transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions for these individuals risk exposure to sanctions affecting their access to the U.S financial system.