1. Home
2. Middle East
3. U.S. Blacklists Tankers and Firms Linked to Iran’s Military Oil Network

The United States announced on Thursday that it had imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s military-linked oil trade, despite Washington and Tehran reaching a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire and ease restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, eight vessels involved in transporting Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to international markets were sanctioned. Among them were the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Flora, the Comoros-flagged crude carrier Hauncayo, and the Panama-flagged tanker Ill Gap.

“We will not allow the Iranian government to increase its oil revenues for the purpose of rebuilding its armed forces and military capabilities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

President Donald Trump has not yet formally approved the ceasefire agreement related to the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. The war has disrupted global energy markets, particularly after the closure of the strategic waterway between Iran and Oman, through which roughly 20% of global oil and gas supplies normally transit.

Washington also imposed sanctions on more than 15 entities, including Hong Kong-based Worth Seen Energy Limited and Mehdiyev Trading Co, as well as Dubai-based Symphony Shipping and Maritime Management Inc.

The Treasury Department stated that several of the sanctioned Iranian entities rely on oil sales networks tied to Iran’s armed forces to acquire petroleum products from abroad. It added that Worth Seen Energy procures refined petroleum products for the National Iranian Oil Company on behalf of Sepehr Energy Jahan, the oil marketing arm of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, which has previously been sanctioned by the United States.