The US has imposed new economic sanctions on Iran

The US government imposed new economic and judicial sanctions against Iran on Friday, February 2, as its armed forces launched attacks in Iran and Syria targeting Tehran's Revolutionary Guards and pro-Iranian groups. Justice Minister Merrick Garland and Damian Williams, federal prosecutor for New York's Manhattan jurisdiction, announced the cases. “Terrorism, embargo evasion, fraud and money laundering against seven individuals in an oil fraud network organized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a foreign terrorist organization, and its Quds Force.”, its elite unit. The Revolutionary Guards are the ideological army of the Tehran regime.

In a press release, the US judge accused Iranian officials and Turkish executives of the Ankara Energy Group “Laundering and selling Iranian oil to buyers linked to China, Russia, and Syria, who support Iran's terrorism, to fund the Quds Force.”. The Manhattan Federal Prosecutor's Office also announced “Revolutionary Guard Companies Seize $108 Million From US Financial Institutions' Accounts”. “Iran uses its black market oil sales channels to finance its criminal activities, including support for the Revolutionary Guards, Hamas, Hezbollah and other related terrorist groups.”Minister Garland announced in a press release.

Shocked tried drones and cyber attacks

On Friday morning, the US Treasury publicly imposed new sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals involved in, or providing support to, the production of Shaheed combat drones and attempted cyber attacks on infrastructure in the US. Natural and legal persons are accused of being associated with or belonging to the Revolutionary Guards. In 2021, cyber attacks targeted a children's hospital in Boston (Northeast), but also several European countries and Israel. “Deliberate targeting of critical infrastructure by Iranian cyber actors is unacceptable and dangerous. (That) America will not tolerate”Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson blasted in a statement.

Sanctions target Chinese companies in Hong Kong for the production of the Shahed drone. They are accused of supplying parts to companies and people already targeted by US sanctions. Sanctions have also been imposed on a Chinese company suspected of belonging to the Revolutionary Guards, accused of selling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian raw materials on behalf of the China Oil and Petroleum Company Group. These sanctions result in the freezing of all assets held directly or indirectly in the United States by the persons and entities concerned and the prohibition of any US-based entity or person from conducting financial transactions with these persons. Companies.