The U.S. Treasury Department announced sweeping new sanctions Thursday targeting senior Iranian regime officials and financial networks accused of orchestrating a violent crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests and laundering billions of dollars in oil and petrochemical revenue.
The sanctions follow heightened scrutiny of Iran’s international financial and energy partnerships, as The Dallas Express exclusively reported in December through whistleblower documents detailing Iran–Venezuela cooperation.
The action, carried out by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, targets individuals responsible for directing security forces against protesters as well as shadow banking networks used to evade sanctions and fund repression, according to Treasury officials.
“The United States stands firmly behind the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Treasury will use every tool to target those behind the regime’s tyrannical oppression of human rights.”
The United States stands firmly behind the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice.
At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Treasury will use every… pic.twitter.com/27Rt8ajWu1
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) January 15, 2026
Senior Iranian Security Officials Sanctioned
Among those sanctioned is Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, whom Treasury said was “one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people.”
OFAC also designated senior commanders within Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who oversee security operations in provinces where protests have been met with lethal force.
According to Treasury, Iranian security forces have fired live ammunition at protesters since demonstrations began in December 2025. Treasury officials also cited incidents in which IRGC elements attacked wounded protesters inside hospital grounds, firing tear gas and metal pellets and assaulting patients, family members, and medical workers.
“The officials sanctioned today—and their organizations—bear responsibility for the thousands of deaths and injuries of their fellow citizens as protests erupted,” Treasury said.
Shadow Banking and Oil Revenue Laundering Targeted
In addition to human rights sanctions, Treasury designated 18 individuals and entities involved in Iran’s “shadow banking” networks, which officials said facilitate tens of billions of dollars in trade tied to Iranian petroleum and petrochemical exports.
Treasury said the networks—linked to sanctioned Iranian financial institutions including Bank Melli and Shahr Bank—use front companies and foreign intermediaries to move funds through the international financial system.
Rather than benefiting the Iranian people, Treasury said the revenues have been diverted to support regime repression at home and terrorist groups abroad.
Legal Authorities and Enforcement
The sanctions were issued pursuant to multiple executive orders targeting Iran’s leadership, security forces, financial sector, and energy exports, including Executive Orders 13553, 13876, and 13902.
Treasury said the action advances President Donald Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 and follows a yearlong enforcement campaign that resulted in more than 875 individuals, vessels, and aircraft being sanctioned in 2025.
As a result of the designations, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving them.
Treasury warned that violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties and said enforcement efforts against sanctions-evasion networks will continue.
The sanctions come as protests persist across Iran, with U.S. officials signaling that additional actions could follow.
