An Iranian company that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); a subsidiary of the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), a state-owned enterprise subordinate to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL); according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, has been operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to the U.N. Security Council, has produced UAVs, parachutes, paragliders, paramotors, and other products used by the IRGC; according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, has been used by the IRGC to fund projects; has contracted with MODAFL for aviation and air defense projects.

Has designed and manufactured light and ultra-light UAVs; reportedly produced the Mohajer 1 UAV during the Iran-Iraq War; reportedly developed the Mohajer 2 UAV in the mid-1990s, the Mohajer 4 UAV in the early 2000s, and the Mohajer 6 UAV in 2017; reportedly developed the Tallash 1 (Endeavor) and 2 Hadaf 3000 UAVs, the Saeqeh 1 and 2 UAVs, and the Mohajer 3 (Dorna) UAV; has reportedly designed and manufactured security systems and surveillance cameras.

Has reportedly supplied UAVs to all branches of the Iranian military and buyers in Africa and Latin America; through a front company, reportedly worked with the Venezuelan Military Industries Company (CAVIM) to export the Mohajer 2 UAV to Venezuela between 2007 and 2011.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, front companies have included Fan Pardazan Co and Iran-based firm Ertebat Gostar Novin; other front companies have reportedly included Kimia Sanaat; has procured UAV engines from Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Company (Mado Company); has entered into defense contracts with Rayan Roshd Afzar.

Reportedly established in 1985; in December 2019, changed its trade name in Iran from Qods Aviation Industries to Light Aircraft Design and Manufacturing Industries.

Sanctions

Designated by the U.N. Security Council on March 24, 2007, pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), as an entity of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); subsequently designated by U.N. Security Council resolution 2231 (2015); removed from the U.N. list on October 18, 2023, following the expiration of targeted sanctions contained in resolution 2231.

Listed by the European Union on March 23, 2012, 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.

Listed by the European Union on February 25, 2023, as an entity in Russia's defense sector; designation prohibits E.U. member states and entities within their jurisdiction from supplying the entity with certain dual-use goods or technology, or facilitating its acquisition thereof, pursuant to E.U. Regulation 833/2014 of July 31, 2014, concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.

Added on December 12, 2013, 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 on November 15, 2022, pursuant to Executive Order 14024, which targets the Russian government and entities connected to it for harmful foreign activities; also designated on October 18, 2023, 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.

Added on January 31, 2023, to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List of end users subject to heightened export license requirements (with a policy of denial) due to involvement in proliferation activities or other activities of national security concern; exports, reexports, or transfers to the entity of certain foreign-produced items also require a license (with a policy of denial).

Sanctioned by the governments of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, restricting business and/or 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 and biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons.

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.