The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting Iran-linked financial networks, adding two digital asset platforms and Siyavaş Kayvanpur, the manager of a multinational corporate network, to its sanctions list.
The department said the sanctioned platforms were Шیلبيت إكسشينج and آبان تيذر, citing their alleged financing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and facilitation of illicit financial transactions. It said Iran-linked actors used unlicensed or lightly regulated platforms to transfer large amounts of crypto assets.
The US Treasury Department said the transactions were conducted through an extensive network of companies operating in different countries and a large online gambling system to conceal the origin of the funds. According to the department, illicit proceeds were laundered and used for the benefit of people linked to the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian government.
Siyavaş Kayvanpur, who was added to the sanctions list, is of Iranian origin, holds Dominican and Afghan citizenship, and lives in the United Arab Emirates, the department said. The Treasury said Kayvanpur managed a multinational network of companies supporting illicit activities in the digital asset sector.
Separate action targets shadow banking network
In a separate announcement, the Treasury Department also unveiled sanctions targeting a currency exchange network that it identified as part of a shadow banking system. The department said the networks enabled the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars through banks, shell companies and currency exchange offices.
Several financial institutions, companies and individuals identified as facilitating these transactions were also added to the sanctions list.
Sanctions and negotiations on the Iran-US track
On July 11, the US Treasury Department also sanctioned individuals and companies it said were linked to Iran’s supreme leader and the Revolutionary Guard.
The United States and Iran began negotiations after signing a memorandum of understanding on June 18 with the aim of reaching a final agreement. However, the talks encountered difficulties following disagreements over freedom of navigation and security in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said more than 3,000 people had been killed in US and Israeli attacks that began on February 28. Tehran said Americans and Israelis were also killed in attacks that followed.
