The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday, local time (April 15), intensified pressure on Iran's oil transportation infrastructure by imposing sanctions on more than two dozen entities, individuals, and vessels.
According to an OFAC announcement, the new sanctions target an oil transportation network linked to Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of the late Ali Shamkhani, a senior Iranian security official. In addition to Iran, sanctioned parties are based in the United Arab Emirates, the Marshall Islands, India, and other countries.
The measures target Iranian oil sales as well as Iran's regional "proxies," including Lebanon's Hezbollah, and are part of the Trump administration's campaign of maximum economic pressure on Iran and its regional proxies, the Treasury Department said.
"Treasury is moving aggressively with Economic Fury by targeting regime elites like the Shamkhani family that attempt to profit at the expense of the Iranian people," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Under President Trump's leadership, Treasury will continue to cut off Iran's illicit smuggling and terror proxy networks."
The announcement said all property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned by the designated persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States involving the sanctioned parties are prohibited unless authorized or exempted by OFAC. Violators may face civil or criminal penalties.
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