Stock Photo: Evgeny Shulin / Shutterstock
The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday unveiled a fresh round of sanctions targeting a network of shipping companies, tanker operators, and commercial facilitators allegedly involved in Iranian petroleum and petrochemical trades, underscoring Washington’s continued effort to tighten pressure on Tehran’s maritime export system.
The measures, announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), added multiple shipping firms, vessels, and trading companies across Hong Kong, the UAE, India, Qatar, Singapore, China, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.
Among the newly sanctioned maritime entities were Dubai-based Symphony Shipping and Maritime Management, Hong Kong-based Agility Shipping Limited, Marshall Islands-registered Trastok Shipping Co., and UAE-based Vanguard Marine Ventures.
Treasury also designated eight vessels allegedly linked to the sanctioned companies, including the crude oil tankers RCELEBRA, THEA, ILL GAP, and HAUNCAYO, along with several aging product and chemical tankers.
The actions come as the Trump administration continues to intensify economic pressure on Iran’s energy exports and maritime logistics networks during the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis. Several of the entities were designated under Executive Order 13846, which targets support for Iran’s petroleum sector, while others were linked to alleged support for Sepehr Energy Jahan Nama Pars Company, an entity previously tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.
The sanctions package also targeted commercial intermediaries in India and Hong Kong, including Rishabh Triexim LLP and Growth Trading Co., which Treasury alleges participated in facilitating Iranian energy-related trade activity.
The new sanctions come as the U.S. and Iran are reportedly discussing a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted commercial shipping and extend the current ceasefire by another 60 days.
In addition to the Iran-related measures, OFAC issued Russia-related General License 131F authorizing certain transactions tied to the negotiation and contingent sale of Lukoil International GmbH, while amending two Russia-related FAQs.
The latest sanctions highlight Washington’s continued focus on disrupting what officials describe as a growing “shadow fleet” ecosystem supporting sanctioned oil trades through opaque ownership structures, flag hopping, and lightly regulated maritime jurisdictions.
The designations freeze any U.S.-linked assets belonging to the targeted parties and generally prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them.
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