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January 30, 2025
This month’s newsletter features an update to a running timeline of Iran’s missile milestones. Since the last update, Iran carried out two missile attacks against Israel, the European Union established new sanctions on Iran’s missile program, Iran transferred ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine, and the Houthis unveiled new missiles indicating further transfers of technology from Iran.
The newsletter also includes profiles of companies involved in Iran’s military electronics industry, as well as news about Chinese supplies for Iran’s missile program, the acceleration of Iran’s uranium enrichment, exploratory nuclear talks between Iran and European countries, and the release of an Iranian procurement agent detained in Italy. Additions to the Iran Watch library include the text of Iran and Russia’s new strategic partnership agreement, U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s oil trade and arms transfers, and a European Parliament resolution calling for the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
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A Houthi “Palestine 2” resembling the Iranian Khyber Shekan design. (Credit: Tasnim News Agency) |
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Over the last year, Iran employed its missile arsenal in two direct attacks against Israel, with limited success against Israeli, U.S., and allied missile defenses. In response, the European Union expanded sanctions against Iran’s missile program, giving itself the authority to impose asset freezes on entities involved in that program or supplying it, as well as on entities involved in transfers of Iranian missiles to Russia or armed groups in the Middle East. In 2024, Iran also transferred close-range ballistic missiles to Russia, and evidence suggests that it provided advanced missile technology to the Houthis in Yemen. |
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Sodium perchlorate produced in China. |
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January 22, 2025: Two Iranian cargo ships are scheduled to transport a chemical precursor for missile propellant from China to Iran, according to Western security officials. The two ships, the Golbon and the Jairan, will carry more than 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate for delivery to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) within weeks, according to the officials. Sodium perchlorate is used to produce ammonium perchlorate, which makes up 70% of solid-fuel missile propellant and is controlled by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, said it was not familiar with the report. |
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January 22, 2025: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi announced that Iran has begun to dramatically accelerate its uranium enrichment program. According to Grossi, Iran plans to produce more than 30 kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity per month, up from 7 kg previously. Iran notified the IAEA of its plans in December, and its enrichment capacity will increase as new centrifuges are brought online. |
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January 14, 2025: Iran, Britain, France, and Germany held talks in Geneva intended to restart negotiations over Iran's nuclear program and related sanctions. The four countries' representatives also met for discussions in November 2024. |
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January 12, 2025: Iranian national Mohammad Abedini was released from detention in Italy and returned to Iran after Italy's justice minister revoked his arrest. Abedini had been detained on a U.S. warrant for allegedly having supplied microelectronics to Iran that were subsequently used in a fatal drone attack on U.S. troops in Jordan. The Italian justice ministry claimed that the charges had no parallel in Italian law, preventing extradition. Italian media linked the case to the Iranian detention of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, which took place three days after Abedini's arrest. Iran released Sala shortly before Abedini’s release from Italy. |
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Iran and Russia signed a strategic partnership agreement during Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Moscow.
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In the treaty, Iran and Russia pledged to “consult and cooperate in countering common military and security threats” and to coordinate their responses to external sanctions – January 17.
The United States took action to combat Iranian oil and arms smuggling, including to Sudan and the Houthis.
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The Departments of State and Treasury sanctioned several ship management companies and vessels for facilitating the shipment and sale of Iranian oil and petrochemicals – December 19.
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The Department of the Treasury sanctioned additional entities for arming and financing the Houthis, including through the illicit sale of Iranian oil – December 19.
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The Treasury Department later sanctioned a Sudanese individual and his Hong Kong company for procuring Iranian drones for the Sudanese Armed Forces – January 16.
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The White House re-designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), tightening sanctions and triggering a review of USAID partner organizations in Yemen – January 22.
The European Parliament passed a resolution deploring Iranian human rights abuses and calling for the European Union to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization – January 23.
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Iran Watch is a website published by the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control. The Wisconsin Project is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts research, advocacy, and public education aimed at inhibiting strategic trade from contributing to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Copyright © 2025 - Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control
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