US expands sanctions on tankers, vessels over Iranian oil trade
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Nine vessels and eight companies have been added to the sanctions list following actions by both the US State Department and the Treasury Department.
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A general view of Isfahan Refinery, one of the largest refineries in Iran, and is considered the first refinery in the country in terms of diversity of petroleum products in Isfahan, Iran on November 08, 2023 (ANADOLU/Anadolu via AFP)
The United States has imposed sanctions on additional tankers and companies it accuses of participating in the trade of Iranian oil, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
According to a government statement released on Thursday, nine vessels and eight companies have been added to the sanctions list following actions by both the State Department and the Treasury Department. Among the sanctioned ships is the MS Enola, which has reportedly been involved in the Iranian oil trade for several years.
While the Biden administration is also reportedly considering new sanctions targeting Russia's oil trade, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for national security advisor previously pledged a policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran.
Since October 11, the United States has sanctioned over 70 vessels, many of which are supertankers reportedly used to transport Iranian crude to China.
In a separate development, the US has also targeted the financial networks of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, sanctioning three Malaysia-based companies accused of facilitating the shipment of Iranian petroleum and other commodities to customers in East Asia.
US 'addicted to threats and maximum pressure'
In October, the Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned US sanctions on Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sectors, imposed in response to Tehran's retaliatory strike on Israeli strategic targets the month.
The sanctions mainly target companies and vessels allegedly involved in the trade and transport of Iranian oil.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, denounced the sanctions as "unlawful and unjustifiable," asserting that Iran's missile strikes on Israeli military sites in the occupied territories on October 1 were a legitimate act of self-defense, in accordance with international law.
Baghaei clarified that the operation was a response to Israeli aggression, referring to the regime's long-standing role in regional instability.
"The US move to impose sanctions has no legal or logical basis and amounts to paying a ransom to the rogue Israeli regime," Baghaei said in a statement.
He criticized Washington's continued support for "Israel", accusing the US of being complicit in "Israel's" "genocide in Gaza" and its military aggressions against Lebanon.
The spokesperson further argued that these sanctions would only embolden "Israel" to continue its acts of violence, jeopardizing peace and security in the region.
He accused the US of playing a "negative and destructive" role in West Asia, asserting that its policies were destabilizing the region by backing Israeli military actions and providing it with political and military support.
Baghaei reaffirmed Iran's right to take appropriate countermeasures in response to the sanctions.
