The State Department has announced a $15 million reward for information on four Chinese nationals accused of aiding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in acquiring American military technology, including components for drones used in conflicts worldwide, The Hill reported.
According to a State Department release, Liu Baoxia, Li Yongxin, Yung Yiu Wa and Zhong Yanlai facilitated the sale of U.S. goods to Chinese front companies that then transferred the technology to Iran.
The equipment was subsequently funneled to Revolutionary Guard-linked companies, including Shiraz Electronics Industries and Rayan Roshd Afzar, which manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, weapons systems, and arms.
The United States said the technology has been used to develop Iran’s Shahed drones, which have played a significant role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The aircraft, which can carry 20 to 40 kilograms of explosives, were first seen on the battlefield in the fall of 2022. Ukrainian officials have reported that Shahed drones were instrumental in attacks against artillery positions, including the destruction of an M777 howitzer during Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kharkiv, according to The Guardian.
“Instead of firing 100 artillery shells, it’s easier to release one of these drones,” a Ukrainian commander told The New York Times.
Russia has launched Shahed drones from Belarus and occupied territories in Ukraine, targeting major cities and civilian infrastructure. On Oct. 17, 2022, a drone strike on central Kyiv killed four people, making international headlines as the buzzing UAVs evaded attempts to shoot them down from the ground.
The State Department says Iran has supplied these drones to Russian forces, as well as to allied groups in Sudan and Yemen, violating U.S. sanctions.
Officials urge anyone with information on the smuggling network to submit tips through an anonymous Tor Browser portal in exchange for a monetary reward.