Washington (USA), 25 Feb. (LaPresse) – The United States Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on more than 30 individuals, entities, and vessels involved in illicit Iranian oil sales and in the production of ballistic missiles and advanced conventional weapons in Iran, “as part of the ongoing maximum pressure campaign” on Tehran. In particular, a statement reads, additional vessels operating as part of Iran’s “shadow fleet” have been targeted. These ships transport Iranian oil and petroleum products to foreign markets and “constitute the regime’s primary source of revenue to finance internal repression, terrorist groups, and weapons programs.”
“Iran exploits financial systems to sell illicit oil, launder proceeds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programs, and support its terrorist proxies,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The Trump administration “will continue to apply maximum pressure on Iran to target the regime’s warfighting capabilities and its support for terrorism, which has sidelined the lives of the Iranian people,” he added.