Lawmakers Seek Info From BIS, State Dept. on Addressing China-Iran Drone Ties
Four Republican House members led by Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas have asked the Commerce and State departments to describe the measures they are considering to counteract what appears to be increasing collaboration between China and Iran on military drone development and distribution.
Recent news media reports have indicated that the collaboration, including the flow of Chinese parts to Iran, is helping to expedite the supply of Iranian drones to Russia, which then uses the unmanned aerial vehicles for its war on Ukraine, the lawmakers wrote in a March 15 letter to Bureau of Industry and Security Undersecretary Alan Estevez and Undersecretary of State Jose Fernandez. Export Compliance Daily obtained the letter March 26.
"The implications of such cooperation are far-reaching, not only exacerbating the conflict in which these drones are deployed but also signaling a deeper strategic alignment between Russia, China and Iran that challenges international stability and violates numerous international norms and agreements," the letter says.
The letter asks Estevez and Fernandez how they plan to use international alliances and partnerships to address and mitigate the China-Iran cooperation. It also seeks to know the impact of recent sanctions on entities involved in the cooperation. The letter notes that the Office of Foreign Assets Control in September sanctioned seven people and four entities in China, Iran, Russia and Turkey for their involvement with Iran’s drone development and production (see 2309190031).
"The recent sanctions against Russian and Chinese entities involved in Iran's drone and military activities underscore the gravity of this issue and the need for a coordinated and robust response," the lawmakers wrote. "The increase in attacks on our troops overseas and our allies from these Iranian drones prompt the urgency in understanding how your [agencies are] addressing this issue."
The letter was also signed by Reps. Tom Kean of New Jersey, Keith Self of Texas and Michael Lawler of New York.
Testifying at a March 21 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Estevez told Moran that he has received the letter and will “get you a response as soon as I can.”
During the hearing, Moran noted that the committee in February approved his bill to codify Commerce’s Iran Foreign Direct Product Rule, which prohibits foreign countries from transferring certain foreign-produced products to Iran if they are made with certain U.S. technology or software (see 2402060075 and 2312140036). Moran said he hopes the full House will consider his legislation “soon."