US imposes largest Iran sanctions since 2018, targeting country’s fleet

In its most sweeping Iran-related sanctions action since 2018, the US Department of the Treasury on July 30 imposed over 115 new sanctions on individuals, entities, and vessels tied to a sprawling shipping network linked to the Shamkhani family.

The sanctions, announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), target more than 50 people and companies, as well as more than 50 vessels allegedly operating under the control of Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of former top Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani, Caliber.Az reports via the Treasury statement. 

“This is the largest set of sanctions since the Trump administration’s campaign of maximum pressure on Iran,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “These actions put America first by targeting regime elites that profit while Tehran threatens the safety of the United States.”

The US accuses Hossein Shamkhani of exploiting his father’s political influence to build and operate a global network of oil tankers and containerships that funnel billions of dollars into the coffers of Tehran. The fleet is believed to transport oil and petroleum products from Iran and Russia to buyers around the world, with much of it destined for China.

“The Shamkhani family’s shipping empire highlights how the Iranian regime elites leverage their positions to accrue massive wealth and fund the regime’s dangerous behavior,” Bessent added.

Ali Shamkhani, who served as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council until 2023 and was sanctioned by the US in 2020, has long been seen as a central figure within the regime’s inner circle. According to US officials, his son’s network exerts control over a significant portion of Iran’s crude oil exports and “uses the proceeds to enrich the family and sustain government operations.”

The network reportedly launders billions through a complex web of front companies and financial firms. Among those identified is UAE-based Marvise SMC DMCC, formerly Mairin Ship Management and Consultancy DMCC, which US officials say secretly manages a large fleet of vessels under false ownership to obscure links to the Shamkhanis. Hossein is said to personally oversee Marvise’s operations from Tehran.

In a coordinated move, the State Department also designated 20 entities and identified 10 vessels as blocked property for their roles in the transport of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

Officials say the campaign sends a clear message that the US will continue to target actors facilitating Iran’s oil exports, especially those masking their operations through complex corporate structures and foreign passports.

By Sabina Mammadli