US Imposes Sanctions On India, China And Russia Entities Over Iran Support Claims
US Targets Entities Over Alleged Iran Links
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on six entities and individuals based in India, China and Russia, accusing them of providing support to Iranian airline Mahan Air and indirectly assisting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The US Department of the Treasury said the targeted entities acted as general sales agents (GSAs) for Mahan Air, an airline Washington has previously sanctioned over alleged links to Iranian military activities. The Treasury Department alleged that Mahan Air has played a role in supporting the IRGC by transporting personnel, facilitating military training activities and assisting in the movement of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and weapons. The latest sanctions are part of Washington's broader efforts to restrict networks that it claims provide financial, logistical and commercial support to organisations linked to Iran's military establishment.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said individuals and companies assisting Mahan Air or the IRGC would continue to face action from the department. "Those who provide financial services, logistics, or commercial support to the IRGC or Mahan Air are helping sustain a terrorist enterprise," Bessent said in a statement. He added that the Treasury Department would continue identifying such networks, exposing them and restricting their access to the US financial system. Among those sanctioned is Skiez Travels and Logistics Private Limited, an India-based company with offices in Srinagar and Delhi. According to the Treasury Department, the company has represented Mahan Air as its general sales agent since 2020. Washington alleged that the firm provided commercial support to the Iranian airline through its role as a sales representative.
The sanctions also target entities and individuals in China and Russia. These include China-based Shanghai Wings International Logistics Co, China-based Shanghai Elite International Travel Co, Russia-based Air Cargo Pro Limited and Tang Xin, who is identified as the managing director of Shanghai Wings. The Treasury alleged that Shanghai Wings coordinated the movement of electronics from China to Iran and that Tang Xin also serves as executive director and a 50 per cent owner of Shanghai Elite, another Mahan Air sales agent in China. In a separate action, the US Treasury designated DadeNegar Startup Studio, describing it as an Iran-linked front company allegedly connected to the IRGC.
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The department accused the organisation of supporting Iranian military targeting operations through an online platform. US officials alleged that the company collected information about the locations of American and Israeli equipment and coordinated with the IRGC on requests related to potential strikes against US targets in West Asia. The sanctions come amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran's military activities, regional influence and alleged support networks. The US has previously imposed restrictions on Mahan Air and other entities connected to Iran's security apparatus as part of its broader sanctions campaign aimed at limiting Tehran's access to international financial systems.
The latest measures could affect the sanctioned entities' ability to conduct transactions involving US financial institutions and may increase scrutiny of businesses accused by Washington of supporting Iranian networks. While the US government has announced the sanctions, the targeted entities have not publicly responded to the allegations. The move highlights Washington's continued focus on disrupting international networks that it believes provide operational and commercial assistance to Iranian military-linked organisations. As geopolitical tensions continue in West Asia, further sanctions and diplomatic measures targeting Iran-related entities are expected to remain a key part of US policy.
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