The US announced a bounty worth $15 million for information on Hossein Hatefi Ardakani, an Iranian businessman who is accused of selling and buying Iranian attack drones.
The US Foreign Ministry announced the reward through its Rewards for Justice website saying it is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of the US-designated terrorist organization Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The report said Hossein Hatefi Ardakani is Iranian businessman who has helped acquire and supply sophisticated technology that has supported IRGC weapons production and sales.
"Since 2014, Ardakani has used his network of intermediary companies, including Malaysia- and Hong Kong-based front companies and UAE logistics businesses, to procure and to facilitate the transfer of sensitive US- and foreign-origin materials, components, and technology to Iran."
It also noted that the weapons, including the Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 attack Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, or drones), are developed on behalf of the IRGC and then sold on the international market.
"Some of those UAVs have been sold to the Russian armed forces," the report revealed.
Also, US-origin flight guidance components procured by the Ardakani network have been identified in recovered wreckage of Shahed drones in Ukraine and other conflict zones. Additionally, the Ardakani network has illegally procured U. export-controlled "high electron mobility transistors and other components with ballistic missile applications, as well as other electronics with weapons application."
