The U.S. Department of the Treasury, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), announced on December 30, 2025, a new round of sanctions related to proliferation, Iranian armament, and associated networks, prominently featuring Venezuela.
Among the newly designated individuals is Venezuelan José Jesús Urdaneta González, linked to the national airline company, Empresa Aeronáutica Nacional S.A. (EANSA), which has been sanctioned due to its ties to Qods Aviation Industries, a key player in the Iranian military complex. This designation was made under the IRAN-CON-ARMS Executive Order, targeting networks involved in weapons transfers between Iran and foreign actors.
The inclusion of a Venezuelan actor on this list is significant: it confirms that Venezuela continues to function as a logistical and technological platform for Iran’s strategic interests, blending aviation, defense, and covert military cooperation.
In addition to the Venezuelan case, OFAC sanctioned several Iranian individuals and companies connected to the chemicals industry, electromagnetic technology, and sensitive programs, while removing certain individuals related to Russia and cyber operations from the list, indicating a surgical adjustment of the sanctions regime.
Among those sanctioned is José Jesús Urdaneta González, a Venezuelan citizen designated under the IRAN-CON-ARMS Executive Order. According to OFAC, Urdaneta is linked to Empresa Aeronáutica Nacional S.A. (EANSA), a state company established in 2020 and also included on the SDN list. EANSA has been flagged for its connection to Qods Aviation Industries, a crucial component of the Iranian defense apparatus, implying military-related transfers and aviation cooperation.
Washington’s actions are not limited to Venezuela. OFAC sanctioned several Iranian citizens for their direct involvement in proliferation programs and technological-military support. These include Mehdi Ghaffari and Erfan Qaysari, associated with Kavoshgaran Asman Moj Ghadir Company; Bahram Rezaei, linked to Fanavari Electro Moj Mobin Company; Mostafa Rostami Sani, connected with Parchin Chemical Industries; and Reza Zarepour Taraghi, affiliated with Pardisan Rezvan Shargh International Private Joint Stock Company. All were designated with a risk of secondary sanctions, indicating the utmost severity.
The Iranian companies included on the SDN list—Fanavari Electro Moj Mobin Company, Kavoshgaran Asman Moj Ghadir Company, and Pardisan Rezvan Shargh International—are tied to electromagnetic technology, chemical developments, and sensitive industrial infrastructure, sectors historically associated with advanced weapons programs. The simultaneous inclusion of individuals and companies reveals a network strategy rather than isolated actions.
Meanwhile, OFAC announced the removal from the SDN list of several individuals linked to Russia and cyber operations, including Alexandra Yurevna Buriko, Sara Aleksandra Hamou (also known as Hamou-Hemsi), Andrea Nicola Costantino Hermes Gambazzi, and Merom Harpaz. This move suggests a surgical readjustment of the sanctions framework, focusing pressure on priority threats like proliferation and military cooperation with Iran.
The strategic reading is clear: Venezuela is an active link, not collateral, in the Iranian military cooperation architecture. The sanctioning of a Venezuelan citizen and a state-owned company confirms that Caracas continues to operate as a logistical and technological platform for alliances sanctioned by Washington, deepening its exposure to international punitive measures and raising the geopolitical cost of its alignment with Tehran.