OMM Redaksiyası
The United States has said foreign financial institutions that continue to work with Iran’s banking sector could face sanctions, as it steps up efforts to restrict Iran’s access to the international financial system.
In a new warning, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said banks and other financial institutions outside the country could face punitive measures if they conduct transactions linked to sanctioned Iranian entities.
The warning was issued as part of “Operation Economic Isolation,” which aims to restrict Iran’s access to international finance. The Treasury Department urged financial institutions to immediately review their ties with Iranian banks and their subsidiaries and, where necessary, end them.
According to the US Treasury Department, sanctions may be imposed on entities that help Iran participate in the global financial system or provide services to sectors of the Iranian economy targeted by US restrictions. The warning also covers transactions with subsidiaries and branches of Iranian banks operating in third countries.
Officials said foreign entities could also face legal consequences if their dealings with Iran cause US financial institutions or US persons to violate sanctions rules unknowingly.
Washington says pressure campaign is yielding results
The warning comes as the Trump administration seeks to increase economic pressure on Tehran amid disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and its support for armed groups in the Middle East.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed the campaign is having a significant impact on Iran’s economy. In a social media post, he said the Iranian rial had fallen to a record low, that Iran had been unable to load crude oil onto tankers last month, and that senior Iranian officials had acknowledged the country’s economic difficulties.
Bessent said Washington would continue its pressure until Iran changed what he described as the government’s destabilizing regional policies. He said Iran’s authorities were allowing their population to suffer while directing resources toward terrorism, and that the campaign would continue until Tehran’s ability to fund armed groups and advance its nuclear program was exhausted.
Washington is targeting not only Iranian entities but also organizations in third countries with commercial ties to Tehran. US officials are seeking to deter banks, insurers and financial service providers from processing Iran-related transactions through secondary sanctions.
Such measures could lead international banks to avoid risks that might jeopardize their access to the US financial system. The warning could add pressure on financial institutions in countries that maintain ties with Iran, particularly in trade, energy and cross-border payments.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington persist
The decision comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, repeated obstacles to diplomatic efforts and continuing security concerns in the Middle East.
Iran has repeatedly criticized US sanctions, describing them as economic warfare that disproportionately affects ordinary citizens. Iranian officials have said the country’s nuclear activities are peaceful and rejected allegations that Tehran intends to develop nuclear weapons.
Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad, whose country is a member of OPEC, resigned on Sunday evening amid mounting economic pressure. No reason for his resignation was given.
Washington says economic pressure is one of the most effective tools for influencing Iran’s conduct. The latest warning signals that the US administration is prepared not only to tighten existing restrictions but also to act against foreign entities that help Iran retain access to international financial networks.
