According to the information displayed on the US Department of the Treasury website on Friday, January 30th, the US has initiated a new round of sanctions against Iran and counter-terrorism related entities. This action is aimed at combating the Iranian regime’s violent repression of peaceful protesters and its systemic corruption, targeting 7 individuals and at least 1 entity.
This marks the fourth major sanction imposed by the US on Iran this month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a declaration that “President Trump stands with the Iranian people and has directed the Treasury to sanction members of that regime.”
Bessent strongly criticized the Iranian government’s resource allocation, stating that “the Iranian regime has not chosen to build a prosperous Iran but squandered the country’s remaining oil revenue on nuclear weapons development, missile manufacturing, and supporting terrorist proxies globally.” He emphasized, “We will continue to target the corrupt elites who have enriched themselves at the expense of the Iranian people.”
These sanctions target 7 individuals and related entities, specifically those officials responsible for the violent crackdown on nationwide protests erupting at the end of 2025, including Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari. He is responsible for overseeing the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in Iran, which have been accused of being accountable for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters.
The Secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security (SCNS) has also been included on the sanctions list, accused of being one of the masterminds behind the repression. The infamous Iranian criminal investor Babak Morteza Zanjani is also listed. He was previously imprisoned for embezzling billions of dollars in oil revenue and later released to aid in money laundering for the regime, currently funding major projects for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Notably, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions for the first time on digital asset exchanges related to the Iranian regime, including two exchanges associated with Zanjani.
These platforms provide covert funding channels for the IRGC and its affiliates, enabling them to seek trading partners in the international financial markets and transfer funds. The regime utilizes these virtual asset exchanges to evade sanctions and fund its network criminal activities worldwide.
Secretary Bessent described the Iranian regime as being on the brink of collapse. He stated, “Like rats on a sinking ship, the regime is frantically transferring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks worldwide. Rest assured, the Treasury will take action.”
With the Middle East situation remaining tense, the US government is exerting dual pressure on the Iranian regime through intensive financial and military measures. Prior to this action, the US had issued three rounds of sanctions against Iran this month, including sanctions on “Shadow Fleet” entities on January 23rd, targeting 8 entities and 9 oil tankers accused of illicitly transporting hundreds of millions of dollars of oil; sanctions on repression command systems related to January 15th, including 11 senior officials and 13 entities focusing on the IRGC’s command structures in various provinces; and sanctions related to counter-terrorism and regional proxies on January 13th, targeting Iranian-backed militants causing unrest in the region and their logistical networks.
The timing of these sanctions is highly strategic. Earlier reports suggested that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had taken refuge in a bunker out of fear of airstrikes, with his son Masoud Khamenei handling daily affairs.
Meanwhile, the US’s financial measures and military deployments in the Persian Gulf are forming a strong force. With the aircraft carrier “Lincoln” looming, the Trump administration is applying maximum pressure on the Iranian regime through this “non-firing” economic statecraft and armed deterrence.