The US Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions Wednesday targeting Iran’s "shadow fleet" and weapons procurement networks.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it sanctioned more than 30 individuals, entities and vessels "enabling illicit Iranian petroleum sales and Iran’s ballistic missile and advanced conventional weapons (ACW) production."

The measures target additional ships operating in Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” -- a network of tankers and intermediaries that transport Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to foreign markets.

According to the department, revenue generated from these sales is used to finance domestic repression, back armed proxy groups and advance weapons development.

The sanctions also focus on procurement networks tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). The Treasury Department alleges these networks help secure precursor chemicals, sensitive machinery and other materials necessary to rebuild Iran’s ballistic missile production capabilities and expand its ACW programs.

“Iran exploits financial systems to sell illicit oil, launder the proceeds, procure components for its nuclear and conventional weapons programs, and support its terrorist proxies,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

The department will continue to put "maximum pressure" on Iran to target the regime’s weapons capabilities and support for terrorism, Bessent added. (AA)