US Imposes Largest Sanctions on Iran Since 2018
July 31, 202568 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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The US Department of the Treasury announced on Wednesday, July 30th, the imposition of wide-ranging sanctions on more than 50 individuals and entities, in addition to over 50 commercial ships linked to a maritime fleet owned by Mohammad Hussein Shamkhani, the son of the close advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani.
According to a statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, these sanctions are the most severe since 2018, primarily targeting a vast network of oil tankers and container ships operated by the Shamkhani family, which the United States has accused of laundering billions of dollars through oil and goods shipments from Iran and Russia, most of which to China.
The department confirmed that the network used foreign passports and dummy companies to cover its activities worldwide, with some ships involved in transporting missiles and drones to Russia in exchange for Russian oil, while Mohammad Shamkhani controls a wide network of ships through a complex web of intermediaries.
The new package included sanctions on 15 shipping companies, 52 ships, 12 individuals, and 53 entities in 17 countries around the world, as part of Washington's intensified efforts in the "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran following its airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June.
The sanctions come at a time when the Iranian regime refuses to resume diplomatic negotiations with Washington, amid warnings from US President Donald Trump of new attacks if Iran attempts to restart its nuclear program.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce affirmed that the goal of the sanctions is to "disable the Iranian regime's ability to finance its destabilizing activities", emphasizing that any entity dealing with Iranian oil exposes itself to the risk of US sanctions.
The United States had previously imposed sanctions on Ali Shamkhani in 2020, while the European Union imposed similar sanctions on his son in July 2025 due to his role in Russian oil trade.
Global energy markets remain stable so far, according to a US official who confirmed that the measures are designed to target specific entities without harming oil markets.
