The US on Friday announced a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial network backing an Iranian drone production company linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program said it is seeking information on Kimia Part Sivan Company (KIPAS), which Washington describes as the drone production arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. It said KIPAS has conducted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight tests for the IRGC-Qods Force, provided technical assistance for drones transferred to Iraq for use in IRGC operations, and procured critical UAV components from companies outside Iran. The announcement also named six senior KIPAS officials sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in April 2024 for acting on behalf of the IRGC-Quds Force. The officials are Hasan Arambunezhad, Abolfazl Ramazanzadeh Moshkani, Mehdi Ghaffari Naghneh, Reza Nahar Dani, Abbas Sartaji and Hadi Jamshidi Zavaraki. The Rewards for Justice statement said proceeds from Iran's sales of military equipment, including drones exported to Russia and supplied to regional armed groups, help finance the IRGC-Quds Force's activities abroad. It added those armed groups include Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
