The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced a new package of sanctions targeting 80 entities across several countries, including Iran, China, the UAE, Taiwan, and South Africa, due to ‘activities contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.’
In a statement issued by the Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, the move aims to “disrupt Iran’s procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related defense items”, in addition to “impair the development of unsafeguarded nuclear activities and ballistic missile program.”
The statement confirmed that among the sanctioned entities are two Iranian and two Chinese organizations involved in the procurement of U.S.-origin equipment for use in Iran’s defense industries and drone programs.
Other objectives of the sanctions include curbing China’s ability to access advanced computing and quantum technologies for military purposes and preventing the development of hypersonic weapons programs.
In this context, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick emphasized on March 25, 2025, that “under the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, the Commerce Department is taking decisive action to protect America.” He added, “we will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives,”
Jeffrey Kessler, Assistant Secretary for Industry and Security, stated that “American technology should never be used against the American people,” reaffirming the administration’s commitment to protecting national security.
Previously, on February 27, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on six institutions in Hong Kong and China for their role in purchasing and supplying key drone components for the Iranian regime.
It is noteworthy that on February 5, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive directive to reinstate the ‘maximum pressure’ policy against the Iranian regime, aiming to bring its oil exports to zero and force it to abandon its nuclear program.
In a statement dated March 22, 2025, Trump warned that Washington will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attacks carried out by the Houthis, while U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz declared on March 23, 2025, that the American administration seeks to completely dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.