The United States has introduced another round of sanctions targeting individuals and tankers instrumental in transporting Iranian oil, aiming to cut off Tehran’s vital lifeline. These measures by the U.S. Treasury mark the first sanctions since President Donald Trump, earlier in the week, declared his intent to push Iran’s oil exports down to zero to hinder its nuclear ambitions.
Named by the Treasury Department, the affected parties are linked to Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and Sepehr Energy, a known proxy. This step directly impacts actors from China, India, and the UAE, countries involved with the movement of Iranian crude. Two tankers, the Panama-flagged CH Billion and the Hong Kong-flagged Star Forest, are specifically cited for transporting oil from storage facilities in China on behalf of Iran’s military establishment.
These sanctions effectively freeze the U.S. assets of the involved entities and erase their eligibility for U.S.-based financial services. The State Department underscored the intention behind the penalties: to enforce accountability for Iran’s destabilizing activities and nuclear weapon pursuits. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized the dedication to utilizing every available lever to curtail threats posed by Tehran.
While Iran’s UN mission offered no immediate comment, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called upon OPEC member states to form a united front against potential U.S. economic measures.
