The United States imposed sanctions against entities linked to Iran and its allies the Houthis in Yemen on Thursday just weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump is due to herald even harsher pressure on Tehran.
“Today, the United States is taking action to stem the flow of revenue that the Iranian regime uses to support terrorism abroad, as well as to oppress its own people," the Treasury Department said in a statement. "The Department of State is imposing sanctions on four entities engaged in the Iranian petroleum trade and identifying six vessels as blocked property.”
The sanctions include individuals, companies, and vessels tied to the trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals, a critical source of revenue for Tehran’s leadership. According to the Treasury, these funds support Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and the financing of proxy groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
Also, Iran’s Ghezel Hesar Prison was designated for gross violations of human rights, the Treasury Department announced.
The designation, made under Section 106 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), identifies the prison as responsible for cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment against individuals in Iran exercising their internationally recognized right to freedom of expression.
The Department of State and the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) jointly listed the facility for its role in these abuses, reinforcing US efforts to hold accountable those involved in human rights violations.
The designation blocks all property and interests of Ghezel Hesar Prison within the United States, largely a symbolic act, and prohibits US persons from engaging in transactions with the institution.
Bradley Smith, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, emphasized in a statement that the United States remains committed to disrupting Iran’s revenue streams that fund destabilizing activities. He pointed to a "shadowy network" of vessels, companies, and facilitators used by Iran to sustain these operations.
The vessels sanctioned include the Djibouti-flagged crude oil tanker MS ENOLA, owned by Journey Investment Company; the San Marino-flagged MS ANGIA; and the Panama-flagged MS MELENIA. The latter two are managed and operated by Liberia- and Greece-registered Rose Shipping Limited.
In addition to targeting the vessels, the Treasury imposed sanctions on 12 individuals involved in Houthi procurement and financing activities.
Among them is Hashem Ismail Ali Ahmad al-Madani, head of the Houthi-aligned central bank in Sanaa. These individuals are accused of roles in arms trafficking, money laundering, and shipping illicit Iranian oil to benefit the Houthis.
The sanctions freeze all property and interests in the United States of the designated parties. US persons and entities dealing with them risk sanctions or enforcement actions, including fines. Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
