WASHINGTON -- The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation aimed at preventing American and allied technology from ending up in Iranian-made drones used in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East.
The measure, known as the Block the Use of Transatlantic Technology in Iranian Made Drones Act (H.R. 2505), passed the House late on June 9 under a suspension of the rules, a procedure typically reserved for broadly supported legislation.
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From Iran To Ukraine, Asymmetric Warfare Challenges Conventional Military PowerThe bill requires the Departments of Commerce, State, and Defense to develop new strategies to identify and disrupt supply chains enabling Iran to acquire critical technologies used in its drone program.
Supporters told RFE/RL the legislation addresses a persistent problem: Western-made electronic components continue to be found in Iranian drones despite existing sanctions and export controls.
"Iranian drones are being used to terrorize civilians and attack Americans and US allies around the world," said Representative Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
He warned lawmakers during floor debate that such systems frequently rely on US and European-origin technology, calling it a continuing concern for lawmakers.
The legislation highlights commercially available components often used in drone systems, including microprocessors, microcontrollers, voltage regulators, digital signal controllers, and GPS modules.
US officials have repeatedly identified Western-made electronics in Iranian drones, including the Shahed series deployed by Russia against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The bill directs the Commerce Department to map technologies Iran uses or could use in drone development, trace manufacturers and suppliers, and identify third-party distributors helping Tehran evade export controls.
The State Department would coordinate with allies to align export-control regimes and prevent sensitive technologies from reaching Iran through global supply chains.
The Defense Department would develop options to deny Iran access to key drone-related technologies, including design software and advanced manufacturing equipment.
Ukraine Cited As Major Concern
Lawmakers from both parties repeatedly linked the legislation to Russia's war in Ukraine.
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US Defense Manufacturing Executive Diller Says Drone Era Reshaping WarfareRepresentative Ami Bera, the senior Democrat managing debate on the bill, said Iranian drones have become a key component of Moscow’s battlefield operations.
"Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Iran has supplied thousands of Shahed drones to Russia, enabling attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians," Bera said.
The bill’s findings section states Iranian-made drones have played a significant role in Russia’s war effort and have been used against civilian population centers and critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials and sanctions experts have long argued that the continued discovery of Western-made components in Iranian drones highlights persistent gaps in global export-control enforcement.
Ukrainian investigations into downed Shahed drones have repeatedly identified commercially available electronics originating in the US, Europe, and Asia, underscoring concerns that dual-use technologies are continuing to reach sanctioned military programs through complex intermediary networks.
Kyiv has also urged tighter scrutiny of third-country procurement channels, arguing that Iran and Russia rely heavily on brokers, distributors, and shell companies to acquire commercially available components that can be repurposed for weapons systems.
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Putin Rejects Zelenskyy's Proposal To Meet As SenselessThe bill also cites Iran’s support for armed groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, arguing drone proliferation is central to Tehran’s regional strategy.
Closing Enforcement Gaps
Supporters acknowledged that policing the end use of widely available commercial technologies remains a significant challenge.
Many components used in drones have legitimate civilian applications and are sold globally, complicating enforcement even under extensive sanctions regimes.
Experts say the challenge lies in the structure of global supply chains, where semiconductors, navigation systems, and power-management components can pass through multiple intermediaries before reaching end users. This complexity makes it difficult for regulators to fully prevent diversion into military programs, even when export restrictions exist.
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'Unjammable' Drones Pioneered In Ukraine Emerge In Middle East WarThe issue has drawn increasing attention from Western governments and Ukrainian officials, who warn that both Iran and Russia have adapted procurement methods to exploit gaps in export-control enforcement through re-export routes and third-country intermediaries.
Some analysts caution that while sanctions can raise costs and slow procurement, they cannot fully eliminate access to widely available commercial technologies with dual-use applications.
Mast said existing measures have not fully prevented Iran from obtaining critical parts.
"If American and allied technology is still ending up inside Iranian drones, then we must close the gaps, tighten enforcement, and work more closely with partners to stop it," he said.
Dan Rice, president of American University Kyiv and a former special adviser to the commander in chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, told RFE/RL that the legislation reflects broad support in the US for Ukraine and for efforts to increase pressure on Russia.
"This is a much needed and very, very important bill," Rice said. "First, it shows universal support for Ukraine by the American people by the elected House Representatives of every single one of the 435 districts across the US. Second, the House wouldn't spend the time and effort to pass this bill, if it didn’t have serious meaning. Every effort must be made by every free country, every democracy, to put pressure on Russia."
He also called for strict enforcement of dual-use technology sanctions. "Any American company CEO knowingly violating the dual use technology sanctions against Russia should be prosecuted for the maximum penalty including treason and sedition," Rice said.
The legislation must still pass the Senate and be signed by the president before it can become law.
The bill requires the Commerce Department to submit its strategy within 60 days of enactment, the State Department within 90 days, and the Defense Department within 30 days to develop military options and brief Congress within 45 days.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.