What happened
The US government has imposed new sanctions on dozens of vessels linked to Iran's shadow fleet network, as part of its ongoing economic pressure campaign against Tehran. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated 17 ships responsible for transporting Iranian crude oil and petrochemical products, while the State Department sanctioned 10 entities, six individuals, and five vessels linked to the trade of Iranian-origin petroleum and petrochemical products.
The sanctions target the vast majority of Iran's remaining shadow fleet, according to the Treasury Department, and are intended to starve the Iranian regime of funds used to wage war in the region. The US military has continued to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, redirecting 130 ships to ensure compliance with the naval blockade and supporting the shipment of over 1.25 billion barrels of crude oil from Gulf partners through the Strait of Hormuz.
The sanctioned vessels are operated by a network of international front companies and are registered in various countries, including the Bahamas, Cameroon, and Hong Kong. The Treasury Department also designated 18 associated companies for operating in Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sectors, and any property of the designated entities in the US or in the possession of US persons will be blocked and must be reported to the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
