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.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has signaled that a nuclear agreement with the United States remains within reach, provided Washington adopts a realistic and constructive approach ahead of the second round of negotiations with the Trump administration.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Thursday, signaling continued diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Tehran.
Azerbaijan and Iran held consular consultations in Tehran, focusing on enhancing cooperation, protecting citizens' rights, and strengthening ties among migration, justice, and border agencies. The Azerbaijani side also met with Iran’s Deputy FM.
Iran has expressed a readiness to strengthen defence and military cooperation with Tajikistan during the official visit of Tajik Defence Minister Lieutenant General Emomali Sobirzoda to Tehran.
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South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday to attend the second hearing in his ongoing criminal trial, where he faces serious charges of insurrection.
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A U.S. airstrike on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port has killed at least 74 people and injured 171 others, marking the deadliest known attack in President Trump’s renewed campaign against Houthi rebels and raising alarm over the widening scope of the conflict.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
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Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
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Iran and Armenia conducted joint military exercises on April 9–10 along their shared border, focusing on counterterrorism reinforcing regional stability. The exercises involved high-level military personnel and were aimed at neutralising simulated terrorist threats targeting border checkpoints.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
In response to President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs, a number of global companies are eyeing expansion into the United States to minimize the economic fallout from the trade measures.
Google plans to appeal parts of a recent U.S. court ruling that found it had unlawfully maintained monopoly power in parts of the online ad market, specifically in publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, while the court dismissed other antitrust claims.
The European Central Bank cut its main interest rate by a quarter point on Thursday, citing rising trade tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff campaign. The decision brings the rate down to 2.25 percent, marking the ECB’s seventh cut in the past year.
Nvidia will take a $5.5 billion charge after the U.S. restricted exports of its H20 AI chip to China, citing security concerns. The move targets China's access to advanced tech, impacting Nvidia's key market amid growing global AI competition.
Sporting legends, rising stars, and international guests gathered in Madrid for the 24th Laureus World Sports Awards, where the global sporting community came together to celebrate a year of exceptional achievements, inspiring moments, and the unifying power of sport.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about ending the Russia-Ukraine war during a meeting with Italy’s Prime Minister, citing recent peace talk developments, though the U.S. warned efforts may end without signs of concrete progress.
South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday to attend the second hearing in his ongoing criminal trial, where he faces serious charges of insurrection.
A missile attack in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has resulted in casualties, adding to growing concerns over the intensifying conflict.
A U.S. airstrike on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port has killed at least 74 people and injured 171 others, marking the deadliest known attack in President Trump’s renewed campaign against Houthi rebels and raising alarm over the widening scope of the conflict.
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