The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and some Hong Kong-flagged vessels that are part of a shadow fleet that helps disguise Iranian oil shipments, the Treasury Department said.
President Donald Trumpre-imposed "maximum pressure" policy on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports to zero in order to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and funding militant groups.
Paknejad "oversees the export of tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and has allocated billions of dollars’ worth of oil to Iran’s armed forces for export," Treasury said in a statement.
“The Iranian regime continues to use the proceeds from the nation’s vast oil resources to advance its narrow, alarming self-interests at the expense of the Iranian people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
“Treasury will fight and disrupt any attempts by the regime to fund its destabilizing activities and further its dangerous agenda.”
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Treasury also designated owners or operators of vessels that have delivered Iranian oil to China or lifted it from storage there, it said. Those were in multiple jurisdictions, including India and China, it said.
Iran's military relies on a vast shadow fleet of ships to disguise shipments of oil worth billions of dollars to China.
Thursday's designated vessels include the Hong Kong-flagged Peace Hill and its owner Hong Kong Heshun Transportation Trading Limited, the Iran-flagged Polaris 1, the Seychelles-registered Fallon Shipping Company Ltd, and the Liberia-registered Itaugua Services Inc, Treasury said.
It also designated the Panama-flagged Corona Fun, which it said has manipulated automatic identification systems to disguise efforts to ship Iranian oil, and the San Marino-flagged Seasky, for transporting fuel oil on behalf of Iran's national oil company to China.
The sanctions block U.S. assets of the designated entities and prohibit Americans from engaging in any transactions with them.
The U.S. Department of State is designating three entities and three vessels as blocked property, it said.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Iran’s cooperation with the agency is not optional but a legal requirement.
U.S. President Donald Trump has likened American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites to the end of World War II, claiming the operation ended the Iran-Israel conflict despite intelligence assessments suggesting limited impact.
U.S. President Donald Trump insisted on Wednesday that American strikes caused “very severe” damage to Iranian nuclear sites, despite leaked intelligence reports suggesting otherwise.
Iran’s parliamentary committee has approved a draft bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until Tehran receives firm guarantees on the agency’s conduct.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 25th June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The White House plans to restrict classified intelligence sharing with Congress after media leaks contradicted President Donald Trump’s claims about the success of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, setting up a tense briefing with lawmakers.
China hosted defence chiefs from SCO member states in Qingdao, with calls to boost cooperation as global instability rises and conflicts persist in the Middle East.
Australia will not raise its defence spending targets despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, choosing instead to follow its own military strategy, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
Australia will not raise its defence spending targets despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, choosing instead to follow its own military strategy, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies regained value following a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, bouncing back after steep losses during the 12-day conflict.
Tesla’s new car sales in Europe plunged 27.9% in May, even as the region saw a major rise in demand for electric vehicles, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) showed.
Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry, national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG), and CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Limited—a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC Limited)—have signed a contract for hydrocarbon exploration and production under the Zhylyoi project.
European markets rallied on Tuesday, with shares climbing more than 1% after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, easing geopolitical tensions and lifting investor confidence.
The White House plans to restrict classified intelligence sharing with Congress after media leaks contradicted President Donald Trump’s claims about the success of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, setting up a tense briefing with lawmakers.
China hosted defence chiefs from SCO member states in Qingdao, with calls to boost cooperation as global instability rises and conflicts persist in the Middle East.
Australia will not raise its defence spending targets despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, choosing instead to follow its own military strategy, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment