Washington sanctions Iran's shadow fleet after violent suppression of protests

"Today, amidst the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors and its complete shutdown of internet access to conceal its abuses against the Iranian people, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is increasing pressure on the regime’s shadow fleet," the statement said.

The department noted that the nine shadow fleet vessels targeted by the sanctions have collectively transported Iranian crude oil and petroleum products worth hundreds of millions of dollars to foreign markets.

According to the US Treasury Department, Iran directs revenue from oil sales to fund regional terrorist proxy groups, weapons programs, and the regime’s security forces, rather than basic economic services that Iranians are openly demanding.

"The Iranian regime is engaged in a ritual of economic self-immolation—a process that has been accelerated by President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign. Tehran’s decision to support terrorists over its own people has caused Iran's currency and living conditions to be in free fall," stated Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

Protests in Iran

Mass protests have been ongoing in Iran since late December, spreading across the capital and most regions of the country.

The unrest was triggered by a sharp collapse of the rial and rising food prices. In December alone, the currency lost about 20% of its value against the dollar on the black market.

The protests began in Tehran and quickly spread to other cities, including Mashhad, Kermanshah, Ilam, and Iran’s Kurdish regions.

In some cases, protesters seized government buildings, but security forces swiftly regained control. Authorities responded with harsh measures, including a nationwide shutdown of the internet and mobile communications.

More details on the protests in Iran can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.