The U.S. Treasury Department has removed counterterrorism sanctions from two aircraft and three airlines with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This action follows previous designations targeting entities enabling IRGC oil sales.
The U.S. Treasury's decision to lift sanctions on specific aircraft and airlines linked to the IRGC signals a potential shift in sanctions policy or a targeted adjustment, impacting Iran's financial access and international trade relations.
The United States has removed counterterrorism sanctions from two aircraft and three airlines that had links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to information published on the U.S. Treasury Department's website. This action follows previous designations by the Treasury of 12 individuals and entities accused of enabling the IRGC to sell and ship Iranian oil to China as part of the Trump administration's "Economic Fury" campaign. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that these designations were intended to prevent the Iranian military from accessing funds for its weapons programs and terrorist proxies. Among those previously designated were three senior officials from the IRGC's Shahid Purja'fari Oil Headquarters: Ahmad Mohammadi Zadeh, its chief; Samad Fathi Salami, its finance chief; and Mohammadreza Ashrafi Ghehi, its commercial chief. The Treasury indicated these individuals coordinated payments and managed foreign currency for the IRGC through a network of front companies. Additionally, nine companies based in Hong Kong, Dubai, Sharjah, and Oman were designated for their role in facilitating IRGC oil shipments, including Hong Kong Blue Ocean Limited and Hong Kong Sanmu Limited. Dubai-based Universal Fortune Trading LLC was also designated for supporting the National Iranian Oil Company.