Guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) enforces the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports against M\/T Stream after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port, April 26, 2026. U.S. Central Command Photo<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s Economic Fury Targets Iranian Oil Network as U.S. Expands Pressure Campaign<\/p>\n
The Trump administration on Monday unveiled a sweeping new round of<\/p>\n
targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps\u2019 (IRGC) global oil network, escalating its \u201cEconomic Fury\u201d campaign aimed at cutting off Tehran\u2019s access to revenue amid ongoing regional tensions and maritime disruptions.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 12 individuals and entities accused of facilitating the sale and shipment of Iranian oil to buyers in China through a web of front companies, shell firms, and sanctioned shadow fleet tankers.<\/p>\n
The action targets companies and operatives spread across Hong Kong, Dubai, Sharjah, and Oman that U.S. officials say helped disguise the IRGC\u2019s role in Iranian crude exports and funnel proceeds back to the regime.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Iran\u2019s military desperately tries to regroup, Economic Fury will continue to deprive the regime of funding for its weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,\u201d Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The sanctions come as the Trump administration intensifies both military and economic pressure on Tehran during the ongoing<\/p>\n
Strait of Hormuz crisis<\/p>\n
, where commercial shipping traffic remains far below normal levels despite intermittent diplomatic talks.<\/p>\n
According to Treasury, the IRGC has increasingly relied on overseas cover companies operating in \u201cpermissive economic jurisdictions\u201d to move oil cargoes and process payments outside Iran. Officials said the network worked closely with the IRGC\u2019s Shahid Purja\u2019fari Oil Headquarters, an organization responsible for coordinating illicit oil sales.<\/p>\n
Among those sanctioned were Ahmad Mohammadi Zadeh, identified as the chief of the IRGC oil headquarters, along with finance chief Samad Fathi Salami and commercial chief Mohammadreza Ashrafi Ghehi.<\/p>\n
Treasury also targeted several Hong Kong-based firms, including Hong Kong Blue Ocean Limited and Hong Kong Sanmu Limited, accusing them of arranging shipments of Iranian oil aboard sanctioned tankers including the<\/p>\n
The designation of HASNA is notable given the tanker\u2019s recent role in the escalating Gulf crisis. The vessel was previously identified by U.S. officials as one of several Iranian-linked tankers involved in sanctions evasion operations before reportedly being disabled during recent U.S. enforcement actions in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n
Additional companies sanctioned Monday included Dubai-based Ocean Allianz Shipping LLC, Atic Energy FZE, Blanca Goods Wholesaler LLC, and Universal Fortune Trading LLC, along with Oman-based Zeus Logistics Group.<\/p>\n
Treasury said several of the firms helped facilitate shipments aboard sanctioned shadow fleet tankers including<\/p>\n
The administration said it is prepared to expand enforcement further, including potential secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions and Chinese independent \u201cteapot\u201d refineries that continue handling Iranian crude.<\/p>\n
The latest measures build on a broader Trump administration effort to choke off Iranian energy exports through sanctions, financial enforcement, and maritime pressure operations tied to the ongoing blockade strategy in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny person or vessel facilitating the illicit trade of oil or other commodities, through covert trade or financial channels, risks exposure to U.S. sanctions,\u201d Treasury warned.<\/p>\n
Under the sanctions, all U.S.-linked property and financial interests associated with the designated individuals and entities are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them. Foreign banks facilitating significant transactions could also face restrictions on access to the U.S. financial system.<\/p>\n