The United States government has announced new sanctions targeting a global network of companies and individuals accused of facilitating the marketing of Iranian oil to China, in flagrant violation of previously established international restrictions. According to a statement from the Department of Commerce, these measures affect an international structure that would have allowed the transfer of millions of barrels of Iranian crude, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, to China.
According to former President Donald Trump, the resources obtained by Iran through these sales are used to strengthen its military and nuclear capabilities, as well as to finance terrorist activities. In 2023, Iran is said to have generated over $50 billion in export revenue from crude oil, comparable figures to 2022, reaching its highest production level since 2018.
This move is part of the reactivation of the "maximum pressure" policy driven by Trump, who has intensified efforts to block Iranian oil exports. According to the State Department, this network generates illicit revenue used by the Iranian regime to fund armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Treasury Secretary Scott Kenneth Bessent stated that "the Iranian regime uses its oil revenues to advance its nuclear program, manufacture ballistic missiles and lethal drones, and support regional terrorist organizations".
It was mentioned that the operation was carried out for the benefit of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff and its front company, Sepehr Energy, sanctioned by Washington since 2023. Among those named are jurisdictions located in China, India, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the oil tankers CH Billion, under the Panamanian flag, and Star Forest, registered in Hong Kong.
Most of these exports are destined for China, which has implemented a trade system based on yuan, challenging U.S. sanctions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned about the risks associated with enriching Iranian uranium to 60%, a level that approaches the 90% needed to manufacture nuclear weapons. Trump, in defense of the new pressure measures, indicated that "the fact is clear: Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. We do not seek conflict, but we will not allow them to develop these capabilities".
