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Sanctions said to target shipping network controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of a top adviser to Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/em><\/p>\n The United States\u00a0Department\u00a0of the Treasury has imposed new sanctions on more than 100 Iran-linked individuals, companies and ocean-going vessels in what it described as its \u201clargest Iran-related action since 2018\u201d.<\/p>\n The sanctions, announced on Wednesday, target more than 50 vessels which the Treasury Department describes as being part of a \u201cvast shipping empire\u201d of oil tankers and container ships controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of a senior political adviser to Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n \u201cThis network transports oil and petroleum products from Iran and Russia, as well as other cargo, to buyers around the world, generating tens of billions of dollars in profit,\u201d the Treasury\u00a0Department said in a statement, describing the sanctions package as a \u201cmassive action\u201d against an Iranian family network.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Shamkhani family\u2019s shipping empire highlights how the Iranian regime elites leverage their positions to accrue massive wealth and fund the regime\u2019s dangerous behaviour,\u201d Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.<\/p>\n Bessent said the sanctions on 115 individuals, entities and vessels were \u201cthe largest to-date since the Trump Administration implemented our campaign of maximum pressure on Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n An Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson called the new sanctions \u201ca clear example of America\u2019s hostility towards the Iranian nation\u201d, according to the country\u2019s Student News Network.<\/p>\n According to a US Treasury statement, the Shamkhani family controls a significant portion of Iran\u2019s crude oil exports and while Ali Shamkhani \u2013 father of Hossein and adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei \u2013 was sanctioned by the US in 2020, the family owns exclusive properties around the world and has obtained foreign passports, which allow them to \u201ctravel undetected\u201d to conduct business overseas.<\/p>\n \u201cLayers of front companies with an innocuous appearance and no easily discernible connection to Hossein\u2019s network allow it to accrue enormous profits while avoiding outside scrutiny,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n In total, the new sanctions target 15 shipping firms, 52 vessels, 12 individuals and 53 entities involved in sanctions evasion in 17 countries, ranging from Panama to Italy to Hong Kong, the Reuters news agency reports.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A US official told the news agency that the sanctions would make it \u201cmuch more difficult\u201d for Iran to sell its oil, but added that the US administration did not anticipate any sustained disruption to global oil markets.<\/p>\n China is the top international buyer of Iran\u2019s oil.<\/p>\n The newly announced sanctions come after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said any new act of aggression against Iran will lead to a strong reaction.<\/p>\n Posting on social media on Monday, Araghchi responded to comments by US President Donald Trump, who threatened new attacks on Iran if the country attempts to restart its nuclear programme.<\/p>\n \u201cIran, a nation with a rich culture originating from 7,000 years of civilisation, will never respond to the language of threat and intimidation. Iranians have never bowed down before any foreigners and respond only to respect,\u201d Araghchi wrote on X.<\/p>\n \u201cIran knows exactly what happened during the recent American-Israeli aggression, both to us and our adversaries \u2013 including the extent of blows that are still being censored. If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one in their right mind would abandon the fruits of tremendous investment in homegrown and peaceful technology which is saving lives \u2013 and simply because [bullying] foreigners demand it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Iran, a nation with a rich culture originating from 7000 years of civilization, will never respond to the language of threat and intimidation. Iranians have never bowed down before any foreigners and respond only to respect.<\/p>\n Iran knows exactly what happened during the recent\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n