Washington, D.C. — The United States has escalated its financial pressure on the military ties between Iran and Venezuela, imposing new sanctions on a network of 10 individuals and entities allegedly involved in trading drones, ballistic missile components, and other weapons. The move reinforces a broader campaign of aggressive rhetoric and actions by the Trump administration against both nations.

The sanctions, announced by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, target a Venezuelan state-linked aerospace company, Empresa Aeronautica Nacional, accused of facilitating millions in Iranian drone sales. They also name three Iran-based individuals allegedly procuring chemicals for ballistic missiles. "Iran’s ongoing provision of conventional weapons to Caracas constitutes a threat to U.S. interests," the Treasury stated, vowing to "use all available measures to prevent this trade."

A Coinciding Rhetorical Offensive

The financial penalties follow a sharp increase in bellicose rhetoric from President Trump. A day prior, while meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump threatened to “knock the hell” out of Iran if it rebuilds its missile or nuclear programs and voiced support for potential Israeli strikes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded on social media, warning that Iran's response to any aggression would be "harsh and regrettable."

The administration has simultaneously intensified its stance against Venezuela, recently designating its government a "foreign terrorist organization," seizing a sanctioned oil tanker, and, as confirmed by Trump, launching an attack on an alleged drug facility on Venezuelan soil earlier this month.

A Sustained Campaign to Disrupt Military Supply Chains

Tuesday's sanctions represent the latest strategic maneuver in a sustained effort to cripple the military-industrial competitive ecosystem linking Tehran and Caracas. They follow similar actions in October and November, underscoring a deliberate strategy to financially isolate entities supporting weapons proliferation. “We will continue to take swift action to deprive those who enable Iran’s military-industrial complex,” stated Treasury Under Secretary John K. Hurley.

This multi-pronged approach—combining direct military actions, sweeping sanctions, and stark public threats—marks a significant strategic pivot in U.S. policy. It signals a willingness to confront both nations simultaneously across economic and covert domains, raising the high-stakes in an already volatile geopolitical arena and testing the resilience of the targeted alliances.