US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley will embark on a regional tour to occupied Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, and Lebanon to coordinate efforts in enforcing UN sanctions and advancing Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, the Treasury Department announced on Friday.

According to the statement, Hurley’s trip aims to strengthen cooperation with regional allies in implementing President Donald Trump’s sanctions strategy and tightening restrictions on groups Washington designates as “terrorist organizations.”

“In Israel, Under Secretary Hurley will discuss ways both sides can expand cooperation to advance President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, particularly targeting Iran’s regional allies,” the Treasury statement said.

In the UAE, Hurley is expected to emphasize the importance of a “strong US-UAE partnership” to counter illicit finance and reinforce the Emirates’ position as a major global financial hub aligned with Washington’s sanctions framework.

'Regional security threats'

During his visit to Turkey, Hurley will seek to coordinate with Ankara on measures to prevent sanctions evasion and address what Washington calls “regional security threats.”

The Treasury added that the trip will also include coordination with Lebanon to ensure compliance with UN sanctions reinstated following allegations of Iran’s noncompliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

The visit comes after the E3, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, formally notified the UN Security Council in late August of their decision to trigger the snapback mechanism to restore sanctions previously lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Security Council failed in September to adopt a draft resolution that would have prolonged the sanctions relief, paving the way for Washington to tighten its unilateral economic measures against Tehran.

Iran slams sanctions as illegal

The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that the deadline for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 has officially expired, reaffirming that any reimposition of sanctions on Tehran is illegal under international law.

In a statement, the ministry stressed Iran’s continued commitment to diplomacy while asserting its right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The ministry emphasized the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities and denounced the international community's failure, particularly the Security Council’s, to condemn military aggression targeting Iranian facilities.

The statement underlined that the reactivation of sanctions by European countries, including Germany, France, and Britain, is "illegal and non-binding." Iran stated that it will not recognize any measures reimposed under the now-expired resolution.