US hits Iran’s oil sector with another round of sanctions

The U.S. State Department imposed a new round of sanctions on Friday targeting the Iranian oil sector and its so-called “shadow fleet,” shortly after talks between Washington and Tehran on the regime’s nuclear program concluded in Oman.

The sanctions designate 15 entities and 14 vessels tied to the export of Iranian petroleum and related products. Two individuals, including a Turkish and an Indian national, were also designated.

“Instead of investing in the welfare of its own people and crumbling infrastructure, the Iranian regime continues to fund destabilizing activities around the world and step up its repression inside Iran,” Tommy Pigott, U.S. State Department principal deputy spokesperson, stated.

According to the State Department, the vessels and their owners or management companies—based in China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, India, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Liberia, the Marshall Islands and the Seychelles—have helped transport Iranian oil to foreign markets, often using fraudulent documentation and evasive maritime practices.

“So long as the Iranian regime attempts to evade sanctions and generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund such oppressive behavior and support terrorist activities and proxies, the United States will act to hold both the Iranian regime and its partners accountable,” Pigott stated.

The measures mark another step in the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. U.S. officials have said the country’s deteriorating economy and ongoing protests have been driven in part by the cumulative impact of sanctions.

There was reportedly little to no progress in discussions in Muscat on Friday, with Iran sticking to its refusal to discontinue uranium enrichment of its nuclear fuel. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously warned that military action against Iran remains an option if an agreement is not reached soon.

© JNS