UANI Impact: Iran Loses Access To Commercial Tech Products Used In UAVs, Dealing Blow To Regime And Russian Partners

(New York, N.Y.) — Research from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has prompted Taiwan-based technology company ATEN International to launch an investigation into the misuse of its products by the Iranian regime and pause exports to Iran. 

UANI alerted the company that its products appear to be used in weaponized Iranian UAVs, which are being flown by Russian forces to attack civilians in Ukraine. UANI also presented evidence suggesting that ATEN International’s exclusive partner in Iran, Raymond Computers, has ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and that sales to Raymond Computers may constitute a violation of U.S. sanctions.

ATEN International responded through its U.S. subsidiary, California-based ATEN Technology Inc., that following UANI’s outreach the company had “immediately [stopped] accepting orders from Iran and the export of our products to Iran” while it conducts an internal investigation. The news was reported exclusively by The Hill.

“Doing business with Iranian companies means doing business with the Iranian regime,” said UANI Executive Director David Ibsen. “ATEN should sever ties to the Iranian market and make the findings of its investigation public. Even the possibility that its products could be used to produce weaponry used against civilians should be sufficient to dissuade any involvement in the Iranian market.” 

UANI is conducting an ongoing investigation into the sources and origins of components from recovered Iranian weaponry. Additional businesses suspected of directly or indirectly supporting Tehran's sanctioned military UAV program that have been similarly contacted by UANI include but are not limited to the following:

• Aero India, based in India
• Beijing MicroPilot, based in the People’s Republic of China
• Helsel Co., Ltd., based in the Republic of Korea
• IDeomotor Robotics Co. Ltd., based in Japan
• Intelpro LLC, based in Azerbaijan
• Limbach Flugmotoren GmbH, based in Germany
• TI Fluid Systems, based in the United Kingdom
• Unmanned Technology SL, based in Spain

“These companies have been presented with highly credible and detailed evidence of involvement with a murderous regime, but have responded with silence,” Ibsen said. “They should address the evidence presented by UANI and adopt the Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and Know-Your-Customer’s-Customer (KYCC) practices that would help ensure their products are not being diverted to the Islamic Republic to produce weapons of war.”

To read UANI’s resource, The Iranian Drone Threat, please click here. 

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