US sanctions Iranian interior minister, financier and crypto exchanges in new sanctions round

The US Treasury Department announced a new set of sanctions on Friday targeting senior Iranian officials and financial networks accused of human rights violations, corruption, and sanctions evasion. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, holding him responsible for the deaths of thousands of protesters during recent unrest.

Targeting Corruption and Digital Evasion

Also sanctioned was Iranian businessman Babak Morteza Zanjani, previously convicted of embezzling billions in state oil revenues. In a first-of-its-kind action, OFAC also designated two digital asset exchanges linked to Zanjani for processing funds tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the move reflects the department's focus on Iranian attempts to exploit digital assets to circumvent sanctions and finance illicit activities.

Official Statement and Policy Direction

Secretary Bessent criticized the Iranian regime for prioritizing military and proxy expenditures over the welfare of its citizens, stating, “Rather than build a prosperous Iran, the regime has chosen to squander what remains of the nation's oil revenues on nuclear weapons development, missiles, and terrorist proxies around the world.” He affirmed that President Donald Trump has directed the Treasury to continue targeting Iranian networks and corrupt elites who “enrich themselves at the expense of the Iranian people.”