TITLE: United States Treasury Sanctions Iran's Shadow Fleet and Ballistic Missile Supply Networks
BODY:
On February 25, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned over 30 individuals, entities, and vessels facilitating illicit Iranian petroleum sales and Iran's ballistic missile and advanced conventional weapons (ACW) production programmes.
The sanctions targeted 12 shadow fleet vessels and their owners or operators that have collectively transported hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products since 2020. Designated vessels include the Panama-flagged HOOT, Barbados-flagged OCEAN KOI and NORTH STAR, Comoros-flagged FELICITA, Iran-flagged ATEELA 1 and ATEELA 2, Palau-flagged NIBA, DANUTA I and ALAA, Vanuatu-flagged LUMA, Panama-flagged REMIZ and GAS FATE. OFAC also designated nine individuals and entities based in Iran, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that have facilitated procurement of precursor chemicals and sensitive machinery for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) ballistic missile and ACW programmes, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to third countries.
The action was taken pursuant to Executive Orders 13902, 13382, and 13949, and supports the President's National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which authorises Treasury's campaign of maximum economic pressure against Iran's shadow banking, money laundering, weapons proliferation, and sanctions evasion networks. In 2025, OFAC sanctioned more than 875 persons, vessels, and aircraft as part of this campaign.
All property and interests in property of designated persons in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons, and foreign financial institutions risk exposure to secondary sanctions for engaging in transactions with designated persons.
REFERENCES:
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control. (2026, February 25). Treasury Targets Iran's Shadow Fleet, Networks Supplying Ballistic Missile and ACW Programs. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2413