US imposes new sanctions on Iran right after talks

WASHINGTON (MNTV) — The United States on Friday announced sweeping new sanctions on Iran’s oil trade, moving against vessels, companies and individuals just moments after indirect nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran concluded in Oman.

The US State Department said it would block all transactions involving 14 vessels accused of transporting Iranian oil, describing them as part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet.” In addition, sanctions were imposed on 15 entities and two individuals allegedly linked to the illicit trade in Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the measures were aimed at cutting off revenue streams that Iran uses to “fund destabilizing activities around the world and intensify repression inside Iran.” He added that President Donald Trump remained committed to driving down Iran’s oil and petrochemical exports under what the administration described as its renewed “maximum pressure” campaign.

“These targets have generated revenue that the regime uses to conduct its malign activities,” the department said in a statement, accusing Tehran of prioritizing regional influence and internal repression over the welfare of its own population and deteriorating infrastructure.

The announcement came hours after Iranian and US officials завершed a day of indirect talks in Muscat, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister, focused exclusively on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described those discussions as taking place in a “positive atmosphere,” saying both sides had agreed to consult their capitals before deciding on next steps.

Despite that cautious optimism from Tehran, Washington moved quickly to reinforce its sanctions posture. US officials warned that further action would follow as long as Iran continued efforts to evade restrictions to generate oil and petrochemical revenues that, according to the US, support “oppressive behavior, terrorist activities and proxy forces.”

Since Trump’s first administration, the United States has sought to force all countries to halt purchases of Iranian oil through extensive sanctions.

The latest measures come amid renewed regional and domestic pressure on Tehran, including some of the largest protests inside Iran since the 1979 revolution and increased US military deployments near Iranian coastal waters.

The sanctions also follow weeks of heightened rhetoric, with Trump previously threatening the use of force against Iran even as indirect diplomacy resumed. While Iranian officials insist talks remain limited to the nuclear file, the latest US move underscored the fragile and contradictory nature of the diplomatic track, combining dialogue with intensified economic pressure.