The US State Department said the sanctions were necessary to “block the flow of revenue” to Tehran.
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The United States has sanctioned 14 ships as part of an operation called the “Shadow Fleet” to circumvent restrictions on the shipment of Iranian oil and petroleum products.
In addition, the country’s State Department announced sanctions against two individuals and 15 entities, including ship management companies based in countries such as China, Liberia, and Turkiye, for “trading in Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.”
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The United States has a long history of sanctions against Iran and its oil sector. But Friday’s latest sanctions were announced amid talks in Oman to ease rising tensions between the two countries.
The US State Department suggested in a statement on Friday that the new sanctions are aimed at supporting anti-government protests that have gripped Iran in recent months.
“The Iranian government has repeatedly prioritized destabilizing actions over the safety and security of its own people, as demonstrated by the regime’s mass killings of peaceful protesters,” the statement said.
The State Department added that it will continue to impose economic sanctions on any individuals or entities that help support Iran’s economy.
Its purpose was to “block the flow of revenues that the Tehran regime uses to support foreign terrorism and repress its people.”
“The United States will continue to counter the network of shippers and traders involved in the transportation and acquisition of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products, which are the regime’s primary source of revenue,” the State Department said.
The sanctions are the latest in a growing pressure campaign under President Donald Trump’s administration.
President Trump announced his intention to take further military action against Iran last month after authorizing airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities last June.
For example, on January 2, President Trump warned that he would “rescue” Iranian protesters killed in Iran’s crackdown. The U.S. is “locked, loaded and ready to go,” he added.
A week and a half later, on January 13, CBS News aired an interview in which President Trump asserted that the United States would take “very strong action” against Iran if protesters faced execution.
Separately on the same day, he posted a message on Truth Social encouraging demonstrators to continue protesting, adding: “Help is on the way.”
In late January, President Trump took a step further, announcing that he would deploy a “massive fleet” including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to maritime routes near Iran. An Iranian drone was reportedly shot down this week as it approached an aircraft carrier.
However, US allies in the Middle East have encouraged the Trump administration to avoid military escalation with Iran, fearing it could spark a conflict that would destabilize the entire region.
Ahead of Friday’s talks in Oman, the Trump administration released a list of demands that includes not only dismantling Iran’s nuclear program but also limiting its ballistic missile stockpile and ability to support regional armed groups.
Iranian officials have expressed reservations about some of the demands, but negotiations ended on Friday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calling it a “good start.” The United States has not yet commented on the talks.
During President Trump’s first term, the United States withdrew from a 2015 agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that curtailed Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
