Also Known As:
Aerospace Industrial Organization
Sazemane Sanaye Hava and Faza (SSHF)
Bazargani Hava and Faza
Sazmane Sanaye Hava Faza
Air and Space Organization
Aerospace Organization (AO)
Aerospace Industries
Aerospace Industries Organisation
Weapon Program:
- Missile
- Military
Address:
- 28 Shian 5, Lavizan, Tehran
- P.O. Box 13185/3198, Tehran, Iran
Phone:
98-21-294-9508
Fax:
98-21-294-8301
E-Mail:
Entity Web Site:
www.iran-aio.com
Leading industrial and military subsidiary of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL); oversees Iran's missile production.
Responsible for developing Shahab series missiles, including the Shahab 1, 2, and 3 ballistic missiles, as well as the Sejjil, a two-stage solid-propellant ballistic missile; developed the Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 missiles; developed the Hoveyzeh cruise missile and reportedly the Fakour air-to-air missile; manufactures Noor and Kosar anti-ship missiles, Toophan and Tosan-1 anti-tank missiles, and Sayyad-1 and Mishagh-1 missiles.
Produces Haseb, Nader, Oghab, Noor, S24, Saegheh, Fateh, Zelzal, and Nazeat rockets; manufactures launchers and anti-aircraft guns; restores Scud missiles; manufactures gyroscopes, propellants, warheads for rockets and missiles, and other missile components; has expertise in precision machining, metal forming, environmental testing, dimensional measurement, and heat treatment and coating.
Reportedly produces Ra'ad maritime cruise missiles and Raad-T anti-tank guided weapons; reportedly developed an upgraded version of the Fajr-5 unguided surface-to-surface artillery rocket system; reportedly manufactures Toophan-2 anti-tank missiles, and developed a more advanced Toophan guidance set, MGS-2, with improved ability to counter electro-optical jammers; reportedly developing an improved variant of the Sayad-1 surface-to-air missile, fitting the missile with an infrared seeker, and produces Sayyad-2 anti-aircraft missiles.
In 2019, designed a satellite for Iran’s space program; reportedly also built a satellite launched in 2015; reportedly designs launchpads for Iranian satellites.
Affiliated with:
- Defense Industries Organization (DIO)
- Iran Electronics Industries(IEI)
- Iranian Aviation Industries Organization (AvIO)
Subsidiaries include:
- M. Babaie Industries
- Shahid Motahari Industries
- Shahid Shahabadi Industrial Complex
- Techno SANAM Industries
- Fajr Industrial Group
- Naval Defense Missile Industry Group
- Sanam Industries Group
- Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group (SBIG)
- Shahid Hemat Industrial Group (SHIG)
- Ya Mahdi Industrial Research Complex
Front companies include:
- Electro Sanam Company
- Ettehad Technical Group
- Helal Co.
- Joza Industrial Co.
- Mizan Machine Manufacturing Group (3MG)
- Safety Equipment Procurement Company
- Shian Co.
Other subordinate entities reportedly include Missile Industries Group; reportedly contains an Air Defense Industries Group and a Naval Defense Unit.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, subsidiaries, subordinates, and front companies have been involved in purchasing millions of dollars worth of equipment on behalf of AIO for the development of Iran's missile program.
Affiliated factories, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), include:
- Bagh Shian (Almehdi) Missile Industries
- Baqeri Base Factory 1
- Baqeri Base Factory 2
- Baqeri Base Factory 3
- Baqerololum Missile Research Center
- Khajir Complex
- Missile Center of Saltanat-Abad
- Mostafa Khomeini Base Factory
- Qadiri Base Factory
- Tabriz Bakeri Base Factory
- Vanak Missile Center
Collaborated with Malek Ashtar University to set up a missile training course in 2003; has signed a cooperation agreement with Sharif University of Technology for the production of satellites; has signed a memorandum of understanding with Amirkabir University of Technology; has reportedly signed memoranda of understanding with at least 22 Iranian universities.
Has procured goods through Iranian citizens Abdollah Asgharzadeh, Kambiz Rostamian, and Milad Jafari and Iran-based MKS International Co. Ltd.; has facilitated transactions through Iran-based Carvana Company, Machine Pardazan Company, and Matin Sanat Nik Andishan; has purchased products from Iran-based Rashidi Pumpage Eng. Co. and Vakav Kimia Novin; sells products through Ministry of Defense Logistics Export (MODLEX), an Iranian state-owned enterprise.
Supported by Bank Sepah, which has processed dozens of multi-million dollar transactions for AIO and its subordinates; has reportedly conducted business through Europaisch-Iranische Handelsbank AG (EIH Bank).
In 2005, used Bank Sepah to transfer over half a million dollars to a North Korean firm associated with U.N.-sanctioned Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID); has received support from Turkish firm Step Standard Technical Part; has worked with Emirati firm Royal Pearl General T.R.D. to acquire components for ballistic missiles; has reportedly received goods from British citizen Ali Asghar Manzarpour.
Director is Mehrdada Akhlaghi Ketabachi; other current and former personnel include Brigadier-General Mohammad Naderi (head), Mojtaba Haeri (MODAFL Deputy of Industry Engineer), Ahmad Vahid Dasjerdi (head), Bahmanyar Morteza Bahmanyar (head of the Finance and Budget Department), Reza-Gholi Esmaeli (head of Trade and International Affairs Department) and Mohsen Hojati.
Established in 1998-1999.
Sanctions
Listed by the European Union on April 24, 2007, as an entity linked to Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or Iran's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems; with some exceptions, E.U. member states must freeze assets owned or controlled by the entity, directly or indirectly, and prevent assets from being made available to it.
Designated by the U.S. Department of State on June 28, 2005, pursuant to Executive Order 13382; added on June 29, 2005, to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), freezing its assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems; also designated by the U.S. Department of State on January 15, 2021, pursuant to Executive Order 13949, which targets transfers to and from Iran of conventional arms and related materiel; also subject to the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations; foreign parties facilitating transactions for the entity or otherwise assisting the entity are subject to U.S. sanctions.
Sanctioned (with all successors, sub-units, and subsidiaries) by the U.S. Department of State on March 21, 2017, under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act; sanctions apply for two years and ban the U.S. government from procuring from, contracting with, providing assistance to, or issuing export licenses involving controlled items for the entity.
Sanctioned for a period of two years by the United States on September 26, 2007, pursuant to Executive Order 12938, for engaging in proliferation activities; sanctions prohibit U.S. government procurement from or assistance to the entity, import into the United States of products provided by the entity, and transfers of U.S.-origin defense goods and services destined for the entity.
Sanctioned (with all successors and sub-units) by the U.S. Department of State on April 6, 2000, for missile technology proliferation activities; sanctions apply for two years and prohibit the issuance of export licenses and U.S. government contracts to the entity and the importation into the United States of products produced by the entity.
Sanctioned by the governments of Australia, Canada, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, restricting business and financial transactions with the entity and/or freezing its assets in those countries.
Listed by the Japanese government in 2022 as an entity of concern for proliferation relating to missiles.
Listed by the British government in 2015 as an entity of potential concern for WMD-related procurement, but removed in 2017 after the U.K. withdrew its Iran list.