The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on nine vessels of what is known as the shadow fleet and eight related firms, the U.S. Treasury Department said, as the Trump administration sought to escalate pressure on Iran over the recent killing of protesters.
The Treasury said the vessels and their respective owners or management firms, which include entities based in India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, have collectively transported hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and petroleum products to foreign markets.
“Today’s sanctions target a critical component of how Iran generates the funds used to repress its own people. As previously outlined, Treasury will continue to track the tens of millions of dollars that the regime has stolen and is desperately attempting to wire to banks outside of Iran,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
TREASURY SAYS REVENUE BELONGS TO IRANIAN PEOPLE
The Treasury said the revenue belongs to the Iranian people, but is instead diverted to fund Iran’s “regional terrorist proxies, weapons programs, and security services, instead of the basic economic services the Iranian people have bravely demanded.”
President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened to intervene against Iran over the recent killings of protesters there, but protests dwindled last week. Trump said on Thursday the United States has an “armada” heading toward Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, as he renewed warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear program.
Vessels that the U.S. hit with sanctions on Friday include the Sea Bird, Al Diab II and Cesaria, all flagged by Palau and the Comoros-flagged Avon and Chiron 5.