The Trump administration on Wednesday announced another round of sanctions targeting individuals and entities accused of supporting Iran’s ballistic missile development, drone manufacturing, and illicit oil trade, as Washington increases pressure on Tehran ahead of nuclear negotiations later this week.
The measures affect 30 individuals, companies, and vessels and come as President Donald Trump has ordered what officials describe as the largest U.S. deployment of warships and aircraft to the region in decades. Trump has also warned that military force remains an option as part of efforts to compel Iran to scale back its nuclear activities.
A new phase of discussions between U.S. officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian representatives, facilitated by Oman, is scheduled to take placeon Thursday in Geneva.
The sanctions, issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, include several vessels alleged to be part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of aging oil tankers used to transport crude in violation of international sanctions.
The Treasury Department also designated drone production companies, including Qods Aviation Industries, which it said has provided drones “to all branches of the Iranian military and buyers in Africa and Latin America.”
US Targets Iranian Drone Manufacturers
Under U.S. sanctions policy, those listed are barred from accessing property or financial assets under U.S. jurisdiction, and American individuals and businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. In practice, however, the impact is often limited because many of the designated entities hold little or no capital within U.S. financial institutions.
“Treasury will continue to put maximum pressure on Iran to target the regime’s weapons capabilities and support for terrorism, which it has prioritized over the lives of the Iranian people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
Trump and senior members of his administration maintain that Iran must not be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. The administration intensified its stance following U.S. airstrikes in June on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Tehran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is intended for civilian purposes. Prior to the June strikes, Iran had enriched uranium to 60% purity, a technical threshold that experts note is close to weapons-grade enrichment of 90%.
“We wiped it out and they want to start all over again. And they’re at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions,” Trump said during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night. “We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon.”
