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.
A U.S. spy drone withdrew from near Iranian airspace after being intercepted by Iranian F-14 fighter jets and reconnaissance drones, Iran’s Nournews reported on Monday, citing the country's Army Air Force.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran will be held responsible and face "dire" consequences for any further attacks by Yemen's Houthis.
Iranian opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi will be freed on Monday, ending 14 years of house arrest following his protests against the 2009 election results. His political ally, former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi, is also expected to be released in the coming months.
Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia, and China gathered in Beijing on Friday for discussions on Tehran's nuclear programme, following Iran's rejection of U.S. "orders" to resume talks over the issue.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has not ruled out negotiations with the US but insists they must be on equal footing. He warned that talks under pressure would be futile, as Supreme Leader Khamenei reiterated that negotiations with Washington would only worsen sanctions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 19th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
South Korean police will deploy 14,000 officers in Seoul on the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment ruling, anticipating protests and security threats. The Constitutional Court is set to deliver its verdict soon, with heightened measures in place.
China and Kazakhstan have agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas, including trade, security, and Belt and Road projects. At a high-level meeting in Beijing, officials emphasised stronger political ties, economic collaboration, and cultural exchanges to advance their strategic partnership.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday to discuss the progress made by U.S. President Donald Trump in ceasefire talks with Russia, with both leaders emphasising the importance of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot forget the years of occupation, and we will not forget them, President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Baku Forum.
President Donald Trump has vowed to respond to the European Union's counter-tariffs, escalating tensions over the U.S. steel and aluminum duties that have sparked a trade dispute between the two economic powers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a U.S. hedge fund permission to buy securities in Russian companies from certain foreign stakeholders and authorised their future sale to two Russian funds, a presidential decree showed on Monday.
Uzbekistan has announced the sale of state shares in three major automotive companies as part of its ongoing privatization efforts.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan is launching the Gold Coin project, a digital version of an investment coin, beginning on March 17, 2025.
Apple’s iPhone, along with other foreign-branded smartphones, saw a sharp 21% decline in shipments in China this January. Economic shifts and rising competition from local brands are reshaping the market, putting pressure on international players like Apple.
Uludağ, one of Türkiye’s oldest and largest soft drink brands, will receive a €25 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance investments in production lines and renewable energy capacity.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 19th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
South Korean police will deploy 14,000 officers in Seoul on the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment ruling, anticipating protests and security threats. The Constitutional Court is set to deliver its verdict soon, with heightened measures in place.
China and Kazakhstan have agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas, including trade, security, and Belt and Road projects. At a high-level meeting in Beijing, officials emphasised stronger political ties, economic collaboration, and cultural exchanges to advance their strategic partnership.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday to discuss the progress made by U.S. President Donald Trump in ceasefire talks with Russia, with both leaders emphasising the importance of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
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