The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on the 30th that it is imposing sanctions on a shipping network controlled by Iranian businessman Hossein. The sanctions involve more than 50 entities and individuals, as well as over 50 oil tankers and container ships.
This is the largest round of sanctions imposed since the US launched its 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran in 2018.
The US Treasury pointed out that the Hossein-controlled shipping network transports Iranian and Russian oil, oil derivatives, and other goods to various parts of the world. Hossein’s father, Shamkhani, is a political adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and was sanctioned by the US in 2020.
The US State Department also announced on the same day that 20 entities involved in the trade and transportation of Iranian oil and petrochemical products have been added to the sanctions list, and 10 vessels have been designated as frozen assets.
In July 2015, Iran reached a nuclear deal with the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany. In May 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and subsequently restarted and added a series of sanctions against Iran.
Since April this year, the US and Iran have held five rounds of indirect negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear issue and the lifting of US sanctions on Iran. The sixth round of talks was originally scheduled for June 15, but was cancelled due to an Israeli raid on Iran.