Web Desk: The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran targeting three individuals and nine firms accused of helping Iran export oil to China. Among the companies named were four based in Hong Kong, four located in the United Arab Emirates, and one operating from Oman.
The latest measures from the US Treasury Department follow a separate round of sanctions announced last Friday against people and businesses allegedly involved in Iran’s procurement of weapons materials and components tied to drone and ballistic missile production.
The action comes shortly before President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the talks, Trump is expected to urge Beijing to play a role in easing tensions involving Iran and to support efforts aimed at restoring access through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Treasury Department, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted a network of people and entities accused of assisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in transporting and selling Iranian crude oil to China through intermediary and shell companies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would continue using economic restrictions to limit Tehran’s ability to finance military activities, its nuclear ambitions, and allied groups across the Middle East.
He stated that the Treasury Department intends to keep isolating Iran from the international financial systems allegedly used to fund militant operations and undermine global economic stability.
Separately, the US State Department announced a reward of up to $15 million for information that helps disrupt the financial infrastructure of the IRGC and its affiliated branches, which the United States classifies as terrorist organizations.
Treasury officials said the IRGC depends heavily on front companies to coordinate payments and logistics connected to Iranian oil exports. They added that the latest sanctions expand on penalties introduced in July 2025 against Turkey-based Golden Globe, a company accused by Washington of processing hundreds of millions of dollars in IRGC-linked oil transactions each year.
The three sanctioned individuals were identified as employees of the IRGC’s Shahid Purja’fari oil headquarters and were allegedly involved in managing payments routed through Golden Globe.
Among the businesses named in the sanctions were Hong Kong Blue Ocean Ltd and Hong Kong Sanmu Ltd, both described by U.S. authorities as shell firms used to facilitate Iranian oil sales and shipments.
The Treasury Department also accused Dubai-based Ocean Allianz Shipping LLC and Sharjah-based Atic Energy FZE of helping transport Iranian crude aboard five sanctioned “shadow fleet” tankers during 2025.
Oman’s Zeus Logistics Group was cited for arranging ships used to move Iranian oil cargoes.
Additional Hong Kong firms included Jiandi HK Ltd, which allegedly signed agreements with the IRGC to buy Iranian oil worth tens of millions of dollars, and Max Honor International Trade Co Ltd, which authorities say purchased millions of barrels of Iranian crude in 2025.
Two UAE-based firms Blanca Goods Wholesaler LLC and Universal Fortune Trading LLC were also sanctioned. Treasury officials claimed Universal Fortune Trading had previously been used as a front company linked to the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
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