Washington, D.C., July 30, 2025 — The United States has announced a broad set of new sanctions targeting more than 115 individuals, companies, and vessels connected to Iran’s military, shipping, and financial networks. The move marks one of the most extensive sanctions packages against Tehran in recent years and underscores Washington’s intent to increase pressure on Iran amid heightened regional tensions.
In a statement issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, officials cited the targeted parties’ alleged roles in facilitating weapons transfers, supporting Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs, evading existing sanctions, and sustaining illicit oil trade operations.
“These sanctions strike at the heart of Iran’s ability to fund terrorism, develop advanced weapons, and destabilize the Middle East,” said Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “We will continue to disrupt networks that enable Iran’s malign activities and circumvent international controls.”
The designations include shipping firms believed to be involved in transporting sanctioned crude oil, shell companies operating in the Gulf and Southeast Asia, and front organizations alleged to be managing Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) assets. Several flagged vessels are reportedly linked to deceptive maritime practices used to hide the origin of Iranian oil.
Additionally, individuals affiliated with Iran’s defense and intelligence sectors were sanctioned for their roles in developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced weaponry, some of which have allegedly been supplied to regional militias and international conflict zones.
The sweeping action follows a recent uptick in Iranian-linked drone attacks on U.S. and allied positions in the region, as well as increased scrutiny over Iran’s deepening ties with sanctioned states such as Russia and North Korea.
Iran has dismissed the sanctions as “hostile and futile,” with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson vowing that the country’s defense and energy sectors would not be deterred. Tehran also warned that such measures would only further damage diplomatic prospects.
While the U.S. maintains that sanctions are a non-military means of accountability, some analysts warn that continuous economic pressure could deepen Iran’s alignment with anti-Western blocs and incentivize more covert economic partnerships.
This latest round of sanctions is expected to further strain the already fragile negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and regional de-escalation efforts. Diplomats in Europe and the Middle East have called for restraint and renewed dialogue, but Washington remains firm in its stance: Iran must curtail its destabilizing activities or face sustained economic isolation.
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