U.S. Sanctions to Target Iran's Drone, Guided Missile Programs: Report

Iran's military projects that involve development of precision-strike drones and guided missiles could be disrupted by sanctions that the U.S. plans to impose soon.

A senior U.S. official was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal, "it’s part of a comprehensive approach so we're dealing with all aspects of the Iranian threat."

The upcoming sanctions are aimed to specifically target groups that provide parts used to build drones and missiles and other weapons supply networks.

They would be separate from the Biden administration's ongoing efforts to pressure Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement and to engage in talks on negotiating a new deal.Talks on a recommitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the U.S. withdrew from under former President Trump, have largely stalled since the presidential election of Iranian hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi.

Earlier in July, WSJ reported that the U.S. was eyeing new sanctions on Iran's oil sales to China if talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal fail, the sixth round of which ended on June 20. It would target shipping network that includes 1 million barrels of oil a day, a significant revenue source for Iran.