The Steady Drip: Treasury Targets Iran-Venezuela Drone, Missile Networks (Connecting the Dots: John Hurley, The U.S. Department of the Treasury, The Stanford Graduate School of Business, Princeton, Venezuela, Whoopi Goldberg, The View, UNICEF & United Against Nuclear Iran, Saturday Night Live & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Treasury Targets Iran-Venezuela Drone, Missile Networks (Connecting the Dots: John Hurley, The U.S. Department of the Treasury, The Stanford Graduate School of Business, Princeton, Venezuela, Whoopi Goldberg, The View, UNICEF & United Against Nuclear Iran, Saturday Night Live & Soros Funding, All Networking)

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/venezuela-iran-treasury-department/2025/12/30/id/1240191/

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sweeping new sanctions Tuesday aimed at dismantling a growing Iran-Venezuela weapons pipeline tied to combat drones, missile components and advanced military technology.

The action, carried out by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), targets 10 individuals and entities based in Iran and Venezuela accused of fueling Tehran's global weapons proliferation.

Treasury officials say the sanctions focus heavily on Iran's export of armed drones to Venezuela, a development Washington warns poses a direct threat to U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere.

"Treasury is holding Iran and Venezuela accountable for their aggressive and reckless proliferation of deadly weapons around the world," said John K. Hurley, Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Hurley said the U.S. will continue using its financial power to choke off Iran's military-industrial network and those who help it operate.

At the center of the action is Empresa Aeronautica Nacional S.A. (EANSA), a Venezuelan aerospace company that helped facilitate Iran's drone sales to the Maduro regime.

Treasury officials say EANSA worked closely with Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian defense manufacturer tied to Tehran's Ministry of Defense.

Since 2006, Iran and Venezuela have cooperated on the transfer of Mohajer-series unmanned aerial vehicles, which Venezuela rebranded as ANSU-series drones.

The drones include the Mohajer-6, a combat-capable UAV designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and armed strikes.

Treasury says EANSA helped negotiate deals worth millions of dollars, oversaw assembly and maintained Iranian-made drones used by Venezuela's armed forces.

One of those systems, the ANSU-100, is capable of launching Iranian-designed air-to-ground guided bombs, raising concerns about regional stability.

Treasury also sanctioned Jose Jesus Urdaneta Gonzalez, EANSA's chairman, for coordinating drone production with Iranian and Venezuelan military officials.

Officials warned that Iran's growing weapons footprint in Latin America threatens U.S. national security, including risks closer to the homeland.

Beyond drones, Treasury also targeted Iran's ballistic missile supply chain, sanctioning individuals tied to the procurement of sensitive missile-related chemicals.

Those materials include sodium perchlorate, sebacic acid and nitrocellulose, all critical components used in solid-fuel rocket motors.

Among those designated is Mostafa Rostami Sani, who Treasury says procured large quantities of missile chemicals for Parchin Chemical Industries, a key arm of Iran's Defense Industries Organization.

Parchin Chemical Industries has been under U.S. and U.N. sanctions for years due to its role in Iran's missile program.

Treasury also sanctioned Pardisan Rezvan Shargh International, an Iranian trading company linked to those procurement efforts, along with senior executives involved.

The action further targets Iran's high-tech defense sector, including companies connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

OFAC designated entities and individuals tied to Rayan Fan Kav Andish Co., a defense conglomerate whose subsidiaries produced components and software for Iran's drone and aerospace programs.

Treasury officials said the sanctions support National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which directs the U.S. government to curb Iran's missile and weapons development.

The policy aims to deny Iran a nuclear weapon and block resources that sustain the IRGC's destabilizing activities worldwide.

As a result of the designations, all U.S.-based assets of the sanctioned individuals and entities are frozen.

U.S. persons are generally prohibited from doing business with them, and foreign financial institutions that do so risk secondary sanctions.

Treasury emphasized that sanctions violations can result in serious civil or criminal penalties under U.S. law.

Officials said the ultimate goal is to force behavioral change, not simply punish wrongdoing.

The action underscores Washington's continued effort to counter Iran's expanding glob

John K. Hurley

U.S. Department of the Treasury

https://home.treasury.gov/about/general-information/officials/John-Hurley

John K. Hurley is the Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI).

Before assuming his duties at TFI, Mr. Hurley was the Managing Partner of Cavalry Asset Management. Based in San Francisco, Cavalry invests primarily in publicly traded technology companies. Prior to founding Cavalry in 2003, he served as an analyst and portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments and as Managing Partner of Bowman Capital.

Mr. Hurley has served on several non-profit boards focused on national security and economic policy. From 2018 to 2021, he served on President Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Mr. Hurley was also a Lecturer in Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he taught the Investment Course, and is chair of the History Department Advisory Board at Princeton.

Mr. Hurley graduated with honors from Princeton in 1986 and was Chairman of the Daily Princetonian. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served for five years in the U.S. Army. During the First Gulf War, as a battalion fire direction officer for the First Cavalry Division, he was awarded the Bronze Star.

In 1993, Mr. Hurley earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Connecting the Dots:

John K. Hurley is the Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, was a lecturer in Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and graduated with honors from Princeton.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Charles O. Rossotti was a commissioner for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Timothy D. Adams is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

David D. Aufhauser is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general counsel for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

James A. Baker III is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Kenneth W. Dam is a lifetime director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Stuart E. Eizenstat is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Robert M. Kimmitt is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

George P. Shultz is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Herbert M. Allison Jr. was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Teresa M. Ressel was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Neal S. Wolin was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

R. James Woolsey is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

Henry A. Kissinger was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and the founder of Kissinger Associates, Inc.

Timothy F. Geithner was a researcher for Kissinger Associates, Inc. a secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and is a director at the International Rescue Committee.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Samantha Power was a director at the International Rescue Committee, a board member for the International Crisis Group, was a board member for the International Crisis Group, the United Nations U.S. ambassador for the Barack Obama administration and married to Cass R. Sunstein.

Leslie H. Gelb is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran and was a board member for the International Crisis Group.

George Soros is a board member for the International Crisis Group, the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and a member of the Bretton Woods Committee.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Moises Naim is a board member for the International Crisis Group, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, a global board member for the Open Society Foundations, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a minister of trade and industry for Venezuela.

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a board member of the International Crisis Group, was the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Cass R. Sunstein is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and married the Samantha Power.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Steven A. Denning is honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a trustee at Stanford University, an advisory council member for Stanford Graduate School of Business and a director at the Next Generation.

John K. Hurley was a lecturer in Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, graduated with honors from Princeton and is the Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Laurene Powell Jobs is a director at the Next Generation, a trustee at Stanford University, was an advisory council member for Stanford Graduate School of Business, a director at the New America Foundation and married to Steve Jobs.

Eric E. Schmidt is the chairman of the New America Foundation (think tank) and was a funder for the New America Foundation (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is Jonathan Soros’s father.

Jonathan Soros was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is George Soros’s son and a director at the New America Foundation (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation (think tank) and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

William H. Scheide is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and a benefactor at Princeton University.

Nicholas deB. Katzenbach was a director emeritus at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and a trustee emeritus at Princeton University.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP.

James F. Collins was a senior advisor for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is a board member for the International Crisis Group, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Leslie H. Gelb was a board member for the International Crisis Group and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Stephen Hess is a senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

E.J. Dionne is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

Hushang Ansary is an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy and was the minister of economic affairs for Iran.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the president of Iran and is mocked in Iran So Far.

Iran So Far is a short video on Saturday Night Live.

Andy Samberg is the creator & actor for Iran So Far and was a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Terrence Turner is a writer for Saturday Night Live and was a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century.

George Soros was a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century and is a board member for the International Crisis Group.

Leslie H. Gelb was a board member for the International Crisis Group and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Mark D. Wallace is the CEO for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and married to Nicolle Devenish Wallace.

Nicolle Devenish Wallace is married to Mark D. Wallace and a co-host for The View.

Barbara Walters was a co-host for The View and is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Daisy M. Soros is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and George Soros’s sister-in-law.

Princess Firyal is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

R. James Woolsey is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and Daisy M. Soros’s brother-in-law.

Zalmay Khalilzad is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank).

James E. Cartwright is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and the Harold Brown Chair in Defense Policy Studies for the Center for Strategic International Studies (think tank).

Brent Scowcroft is the chair, international advisory board for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a friend of Henry A. Kissinger and a trustee at the Center for Strategic International Studies (think tank).

Henry A. Kissinger was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a friend of Brent Scowcroft, a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and the founder of Kissinger Associates, Inc.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Leslie H. Gelb was a board member for the International Crisis Group and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

George Soros is a board member for the International Crisis Group and a director at the Brain Trauma Foundation.

Hassan Nemazee was a director at the Brain Trauma Foundation, is the chairman for the Iran Foundation and a director at the Iranian American PAC.

Sarah Jessica Parker is a director at the Brain Trauma Foundation and a celebrity ambassador for UNICEF.

Maureen White is a director at the International Rescue Committee was a U.S. representative for UNICEF.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Timothy F. Geithner was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a researcher for Kissinger Associates, Inc. a secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is a director at the International Rescue Committee.

U.S. Fund for UNICEF is a support organization for UNICEF.

Whoopi Goldberg is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and the moderator and co-host of The View.

Nicolle Devenish Wallace is co-host for The View and married to Mark D. Wallace.

Mark D. Wallace is married to Nicolle Devenish Wallace and the CEO for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

Barbara Walters was a co-host for The View and is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Daisy M. Soros is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and George Soros’s sister-in-law.

Princess Firyal is a leader’s council member for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros is Daisy M. Soros’s brother-in-law and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Michael J. Gerson was a director at the International Rescue Committee and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

R. James Woolsey is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Charles O. Rossotti is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a commissioner for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).