Reuters: Iran operates secret military network of more than 5,000 entities to evade US sanctions
A Reuters investigation reveals Iran's vast covert network of more than 5,000 entities sourcing components and explosives for drones and missiles despite sanctions.
Key Takeaways
AIA Reuters investigation has uncovered that Iran has established a vast military and financial network of more than 5,000 entities to procure components, explosives, and heavy trucks essential for its drone and missile programs—even during wartime. Shipments reached Iran by land, sea, and air.
According to the investigation, Iran created a secret global network of military entities to import equipment, explosives, and heavy trucks, with transactions totaling at least $2 billion since January 2025, circumventing the US maritime blockade and Western sanctions.
These covert entities often use names beginning with “Wadja,” an abbreviation for Iran’s Ministry of Defense. Their financial transactions can be traced in shipping documents and other import records dating back to 2016. Some are linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and commercial groups known as “Bonyad,” which are controlled by Iran’s elite.
The investigation, according to Reuters, sheds light on one of the war’s biggest mysteries: how the Revolutionary Guard continues to bolster its arsenal of missiles and drones while launching thousands. In the 18 months from January 2025 to June 2026—including the first four months of this year’s war—one entity alone, “Wadja 346428,” imported large quantities of missile fuel, explosives, and key weapon components for drone and missile production, as well as heavy trucks that can serve as missile launch platforms.
These materials reached Iran by land, sea, and air, with records showing a significant portion originating from China, Russia, and Germany.
The investigation into the Ministry of Defense network is based on thousands of Iranian banking and government records, company registration documents, and import data.
According to Reuters, these entities—identified for the first time in collaboration with US-Israeli risk consultancy 240 Analytics—form the backbone of Iran’s military procurement and sanctions evasion system.