U.S. Imposes New Sanctions on Iran: Tankers and a Chinese Port Among Targets

According to the Political Service of Saed News, these measures were implemented just days after the reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program and the re-imposition of UK and EU sanctions, signaling that Western countries, following the failure of the latest diplomatic negotiations, are showing no flexibility toward Tehran.

The new U.S. sanctions target Iran’s secondary—but lucrative—trade in liquefied gas, which includes propane and butane. This type of gas is widely used across Asia for cooking and heating, generating several hundred million dollars in revenue for Iran. While this figure is small compared to Iran’s roughly $40 billion annual income from crude oil and petroleum product sales to customers such as China, it still represents a significant portion of the country’s economy.

Another U.S. move involves adding roughly 20 more vessels to the so-called “shadow fleet,” which had already faced sanctions. This brings the total number of sanctioned Iranian tankers to more than 150. The U.S. Treasury Department has also targeted another oil terminal at a Chinese port, which serves as a hub for Iran’s unofficial oil sales. Despite these severe sanctions, Iran continues to export around two million barrels of oil daily, most of it to China, which employs complex financial mechanisms to bypass restrictions and maintain trade.

These U.S. actions appear gradual, reflecting that the easier options for exerting pressure have largely been exhausted. In recent years—particularly during the Trump administration—sanctions on Iran intensified, covering oil sales, banks, commercial companies, arms networks, and even some Iranian product buyers. Still, the direction of these measures matters: the U.S., UN, UK, and EU have recently stepped up pressure on Iran’s vulnerable economy to force Tehran back to the negotiating table.

The core dispute remains Iran’s continued progress in its nuclear program and its insistence on the right to enrich uranium. Negotiations between Iran and the U.S. this past spring yielded little progress, and Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June disrupted diplomacy, targeting several buildings.

This week, Iran announced that it has no plans to resume negotiations with European countries and rejected any speculation about restarting talks with the U.S. Meanwhile, the reinstated UN and Western sanctions have once again put pressure on Iran’s economy, demonstrating that the international community intends to use economic leverage to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

The new sanctions and economic pressures—particularly in liquefied gas and shipping—form part of the U.S. and its allies’ “maximum pressure” strategy on Tehran. These measures indicate that Western countries are unwilling to show flexibility toward Iran, and further actions could target the Iranian energy sector if nuclear progress continues or sanctions are circumvented.

Focusing on oil exports to China and restricting alternative channels is part of Washington’s effort to limit Iran’s foreign currency earnings. Given that a major portion of Iran’s revenue comes from oil sales to China, targeting terminals and shipping vessels could impose significant economic pressure. These measures are also designed to demonstrate the U.S.’s commitment to preventing Iran from securing the financial resources needed to advance its nuclear program.

Ultimately, the new U.S. and Western sanctions combine restrictions on oil and gas exports, limits on Iran’s shipping fleet, and targeting of alternative financial routes. All are aimed at compelling Tehran to return to diplomatic talks and curb its nuclear activities. Under these conditions, it appears that maximum pressure on Iran will continue in the coming months and years, with Iran’s energy economy and trade positioned as the primary battleground.