Adedokun Waliyu 
The United States has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry, as tensions escalate over the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The measures focus on oil transport infrastructure, with sanctions imposed on more than two dozen individuals, companies, and vessels linked to a network operated by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move is part of an aggressive financial pressure campaign aimed at limiting the Iranian government’s ability to generate revenue.
The network is tied to the family of Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, both of whom were reported killed at the start of US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
According to US officials, the sanctions are intended to restrict Iran’s capacity to fund its activities while it continues to block the Strait of Hormuz — a critical passage for global oil and gas shipments.
Iran’s closure of the Strait is seen as retaliation for the US and Israeli military campaign, prompting Washington to enforce a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The US State Department said the action is aimed at preventing Iran from “holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage” and disrupting global energy supplies.
In addition, the US has ended a temporary sanctions waiver that previously allowed the sale of Iranian oil already at sea — a measure originally introduced to stabilise global oil prices during the conflict.
Authorities also accused the Shamkhani-linked network of evading sanctions through a web of front companies operating across Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Further sanctions were imposed on Seyed Naiemaei Badroddin Moosavi, described as a financier for Hezbollah, along with three companies allegedly involved in laundering money through oil sales exchanged for Venezuelan gold.
The latest actions signal an escalation in economic pressure as the conflict continues to impact global energy markets.
