U.S. Treasury Imposes Heavy Sanctions on Iranian Oil Shadow Fleet

By Sam Barron | Thursday, December 18, 2025, 10:27 PM EST

The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned 29 shadow fleet vessels involved in the covert transportation of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil and petroleum products.

The move aims to disrupt the Iranian regime’s revenue streams that fund terrorism and other illicit activities.

The targeted entities include a network of companies and ships operated by an influential Egyptian businessman, as well as firms based in the United Arab Emirates, India, the Marshall Islands, and Panama.

“This action further limits Iran’s ability to export petroleum and petroleum products through deceptive and fraudulent channels,” the Treasury stated in its announcement.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February targeting Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical facilities with the goal of restricting the country’s oil revenue.

John K. Hurley, the Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, emphasized that “the United States will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.”

“The Treasury will persist in cutting off the regime’s access to petroleum revenue it uses to sustain its military operations and weapons programs,” Hurley added.

The Trump administration has already sanctioned over 180 vessels responsible for shipping Iranian oil, increasing costs for exporters and diminishing Iran’s earnings per barrel of oil sold.