The United States increases pressure on Iran: announced a new package of sanctions against its 'ghost fleet' and Hezbollah

U.S. authorities announced this Thursday a new package of sanctions targeting Iran and its so-called "ghost fleet", allegedly used to circumvent previous restrictions and continue the international export of crude oil. The measure also includes actions against the Lebanese party-militia Hezbollah.

According to the official statement, these provisions are part of a reinforced strategy by the government of President Donald Trump to pressure Tehran to resume negotiations on its nuclear program, following the recent confrontation between Israel and Iran, which led the United States to carry out attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. The sanctions seek to curb the maneuvers through which the Iranian regime would be trying to access crucial resources for its international activities and for the operations of the Revolutionary Guard. The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, explained that the new package affects six entities related to Iran's crude oil export network. Among the sanctioned organizations are companies managed by Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said, used to transport Iranian oil by passing it off as Iraqi crude. In addition, the sanctioning action includes four vessels identified as part of the logistical framework that allows Iran to continue selling oil outside of international sanctions. The decision is directed towards "all those networks accused of facilitating the transport of this oil", in the words of Bessent, who emphasized the intention of the Treasury Department to increase pressure on the financial resources that support activities considered destabilizing to the Iranian regime. The official statement highlights that these resources directly benefit the Revolutionary Guard, an organization that has been subject to previous sanctions by the United States Bessent stated that the US government's position responds to the behavior of the Iranian regime and the impact of its political decisions. "As President Trump has already made clear, Iran's behavior has left it weakened. Although it had every opportunity to choose peace, its leaders have chosen extremism", Bessent pointed out in the statement released after announcing the sanctions. Bessent specified that the measures seek to hinder the Iranian government's access to strategic resources: "The Treasury will continue to intensify pressure on the regime's ability to access financial resources that support its destabilizing activities," the official emphasized. For its part, the State Department expressed its commitment to use all diplomatic and financial instruments to reduce the capacity of sanctioned groups and states to operate in the region, making direct reference to efforts against Hezbollah and against networks linked to the Iranian nuclear program. United States authorities have imposed sanctions against seven Hezbollah leaders and an entity linked to the financial institution Al Qard Al Hasan, considered affiliated with the Lebanese party-militia. According to official information, these measures seek to limit Hezbollah's influence in the region and hinder its ability to finance activities through international financial and logistical networks. According to the State Department, the sanctioned leaders would have facilitated the evasion of previous restrictions imposed by the US government, using financial and commercial structures to maintain the group's operability. The statement indicates that the United States will maintain the use of its legal and diplomatic tools to ensure that Hezbollah does not pose a threat to the Lebanese population or regional stability. The U.S. State Department assured that it will continue to apply all available tools to prevent Hezbollah from posing a threat to regional security. "We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that this terrorist group does not pose a threat to the Lebanese population in the region," the U.S. institution stated in a statement. The authorities underscored that the sanctioned Hezbollah leaders contributed to the evasion of existing sanctions through their roles within the group and their relationship with associated financial structures. The State Department reaffirmed its commitment to block the financing mechanisms and international support that allow the militia-party to maintain its operations. This position is part of a coordinated strategy with the Treasury Department to restrict sanctioned actors' access to international resources essential for their subsistence and development.