The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on three individuals and nine companies, including firms based in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, for helping ship Iranian oil to China.
The move by the Treasury Department follows sanctions announced Friday targeting networks involved in procuring weapons components for Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs.
It comes days before President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Iran and the Strait of Hormuz are likely to be key topics.
Treasury said the sanctions, issued by its Office of Foreign Assets Control, target individuals and entities that helped Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sell and transport oil to China through front companies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration would continue using sanctions to cut off funding for Iran’s military, nuclear program and regional proxy groups.
“Treasury will continue to cut the Iranian regime off from the financial networks it uses to carry out terrorist acts and destabilize the global economy,” Bessent said.
The State Department also announced a reward of up to $15 million for information that disrupts the financial operations of the IRGC, which the US designates as a terrorist organization.
According to Treasury, the IRGC relies on shell companies to facilitate payments and logistics for its oil exports. Monday’s action builds on sanctions imposed in July 2025 on Turkey-based Golden Globe, which US officials say handles hundreds of millions of dollars in IRGC-linked oil sales annually.
The three sanctioned individuals are tied to the IRGC’s Shahid Purja’fari oil headquarters and are accused of coordinating payments through Golden Globe.
The companies targeted include Hong Kong-based Hong Kong Blue Ocean Ltd and Hong Kong Sanmu Ltd, described as front companies arranging oil sales and shipments, and UAE-based Ocean Allianz Shipping LLC and Atic Energy FZE, which facilitated shipments on sanctioned tankers.
Also sanctioned were Oman-based Zeus Logistics Group, which arranged vessels for Iranian oil cargoes, Hong Kong-based Jiandi HK Ltd and Max Honor International Trade Co Ltd, both accused of purchasing large quantities of Iranian oil, and Dubai-based Blanca Goods Wholesaler LLC and Universal Fortune Trading LLC, which Treasury said was also used by the National Iranian Oil Company.