U.S Hits Iran’s Shipping Network With New Sanctions

The U.S has imposed new sanctions on more than 115 Iranian individuals, companies and ships after the Trump administration bombed Tehran’s nuclear sites in June.

The sanctions aim to target shipping interests of Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to the U.S Treasury, these are the most significant sanctions imposed on Iran since 2018.

Shamkhani has control over several container ships and tankers through intermediaries which sell Iranian and Russian oil and other cargo across the world.

The U.S accused Shamkhani of using his connections and corruption in Tehran to get billions in profits.

Broadly, the sanctions have targeted 52 ships, 15 shipping companies, 12 people and 53 firms involved in evading sanctions in 17 countries, ranging from Panama to Italy to Hong Kong.

A U.S official said that new sanctions would make it difficult for Iran to sell its oil.

Iran’s oil exports had fallen to 1.2 million barrels per day from 1.8 million barrels per day at the beginning of 2025, after Trump had imposed sanctions.

The official added that they were working to bring that number down even more.

A spokesperson from Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, called the sanctions an example of American hostility towards Iran.

He said that the evil act aims at harming Iran’s economic development and the welfare of the people.

This move is also going to affect China, the top buyer of Iranian oil.

The EU had sanctioned Shamkhani in July, speaking of his role in the Russian Oil Trade.

Source: Maritime Shipping News