US imposes sanctions on 60 Iran-linked targets and sets deadlines for foreign partners

Treasury designations and targeted sectors

On Monday afternoon, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new economic pressure campaign against Tehran. The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on nearly 60 individuals, companies, entities, and vessels connected to Iranian state interests. These designations specifically target networks supporting Tehran's nuclear development, ballistic missile program, cyber operations, and petroleum exports. Washington also suspended general licenses that had previously authorized certain direct monetary transfers to Iran. The sanctions further focus on intermediary broker networks and shadow fleet tankers operating in international jurisdictions, including the United Arab Emirates. Bessent stated that the objective of the measures is to eliminate financial revenue streams available to the Iranian government.

Around the world, our goal is to cut off every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime, until Tehran is left on its own.

Secondary sanctions and diplomatic deadlines

The Trump administration designated five distinct commercial sectors eligible for secondary sanctions: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. Rather than immediately applying the broadest punitive measures discussed in previous statements, Washington is implementing designated compliance deadlines for individual countries. United States officials plan to engage foreign governments through bilateral discussions to demand the severance of all commercial ties with Iranian entities. President Donald Trump has personally made telephone calls to world leaders with specific requests to halt transactions with Tehran. Bessent indicated that the administration will notify third countries individually regarding expectations for ending their business dealings.

We find that the best way to work with countries is through quiet diplomacy and we are letting each country know individually what our expectations are. We know who they are. And they know who they are.

Enforcement teams and international coordination

Bessent described the overall economic plan as a double hit, combining the strict enforcement of new sanctions with an existing maritime blockade of Iranian ports. Washington aims to turn Tehran into an international pariah and exhaust funding for its military operations and regional proxies. To enforce compliance, interagency delegations are deploying internationally to meet with foreign economic and defense officials. Bessent stated that third countries will face secondary penalties if they fail to halt transactions within the specified schedules.

Teams from Treasury, the State Department and the US military are now meeting with their counterparts around the world to make it clear that the United States expects action. The clock has just started ticking.

Currency decline and sanctions resilience

The announcement follows nearly six months of military conflict and shipping blockades targeting Iranian ports. On Monday morning, before the Treasury briefing, the Iranian currency dropped to 2.02 million rials per US dollar when foreign exchange trading opened. Iran has endured United States economic sanctions for nearly five decades, developing alternative trade mechanisms outside Western financial channels. These methods include front companies, currency exchanges, ship-to-ship oil transfers at sea, and falsified vessel transponder records. The new measures seek to dismantle these evasive networks across the shipping, aviation, and financial sectors.