Washington has expanded its crackdown on Iran’s weapons ecosystem by sanctioning two Ukrainian companies accused of quietly feeding Tehran’s drone program. The Treasury Department said the firms acted as procurement fronts that channelled aerospace components to Iran’s state-owned drone manufacturer, a supply line now linked to battlefields stretching from Ukraine to the Middle East.

The announcement forms part of a sweeping sanctions package targeting 32 individuals and entities across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The shared thread, according to US officials, is support for Iran’s ballistic missile development and its expanding fleet of uncrewed aerial vehicles.

At the centre of this latest action are GK Imperativ and Ekofera, two companies registered in Kharkiv and Kyiv. Washington says both firms helped Iranian agents secure parts for the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, known as HESA. The manufacturer builds the Shahed series of loitering munitions and the Ababil family of drones, widely used by Russian forces in Ukraine and by groups aligned with Tehran, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

US officials detailed how the Ukrainian firms allegedly procured attitude indicators, magnetometers, engine components and various sensors on behalf of Iranian intermediaries. Those intermediaries, identified as Bahram Tabibi, Batoul Shafiei and Saeed Pahlavani Nejad, were also sanctioned.

Public records in Ukraine list GK Imperativ as a supplier of chemicals and construction materials, while Ekofera is registered as a consultancy and intermediary for wholesale goods. Business Insider reported that calls to both companies went unanswered.

The sanctions fall under Executive Order 13382, a mechanism designed to target those linked to weapons proliferation. The Treasury said the network facilitated Iran’s efforts to sustain production despite international pressure. It also urged governments to enforce UN snapback sanctions that cut Iran off from the global financial system.

The move highlights the growing complexity of Iran’s procurement networks. While HESA remains Iran’s primary drone developer, Russia has been producing the Shahed variants locally under the Geran designation, a shift that has allowed Moscow to accelerate attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

The broader package of 32 sanctions includes entities in Germany, China, India, Hong Kong, the UAE and Iran. US officials say these networks collectively support the supply chain for Iran’s long-range munitions, a threat that has become more visible as conflicts intensify across Eastern Europe and the Middle East.