The US Treasury Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia and Iran accused of supporting Iran’s Mahan Air, which Washington says has long facilitated the movement of IRGC-Quds Force personnel, weapons and military equipment.
The sanctions also target an IRGC-affiliated front company that, according to the Treasury, collected information on the locations of US and Israeli equipment and supported Iranian military targeting during the ongoing conflict.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said those providing financial, logistical, or commercial support to the IRGC or Mahan Air are “helping sustain a terrorist enterprise,” pledging to continue increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
A similar set of sanctions was imposed on Wednesday against the Iranian regime, with the US Treasury targeting eight tankers and 10 entities, according to a notice posted on its website.
Six of the entities targeted on Wednesday were based in China, according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)’s notice.
Over 100 vessels sanctioned since January
Over 100 ships have been sanctioned by OFAC since January, the Treasury added.
According to the Treasury, several of the entities are involved in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-backed extortion scheme forcing ships to purchase mandatory maritime “insurance” to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The scheme, identified by the Treasury as the “Hormuz Safe” program, was established by Iran’s primary insurance regulator, covering risks largely imposed by the Islamic Republic itself, including attacks on ships, with the funds intended to finance the regime’s activities.
Reuters and The Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
