Tag Archives: Strait of Hormuz

Military

USA Countering Iran’s Exploitation of the Strait of Hormuz

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This Press Statement issued for The Silo via Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Spokesperson

Yesterday, July 29, 2026, the United States designated the Persian Gulf Marine Insurance Company and Hormuz Safe Marine Services Authority, two Iranian entities backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for running coercive “insurance” schemes that extort international shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.  These entities manufacture risk—including the threat of vessel seizures—and then charge commercial vessels for coverage against dangers created by the regime itself, generating revenue that sustains IRGC operations and Iran’s broader campaign of regional destabilization.

A Shadow Fleet

The United States also designated eight companies operating vessels that have transported illicit Iranian crude oil and petrochemical products to China and the United Arab Emirates.  These vessels form part of Iran’s “shadow fleet,” which the regime relies on to evade sanctions.

Yesterday’s designations support the U.S. Navy’s enforcement of a blockade on Iranian ports and coastline and add to a sustained campaign that has now sanctioned more than 100 vessels this year.

The United States will continue to hold Iran accountable for weaponizing vital international waterways and evading sanctions through shadow fleet operations and deceptive financial schemes.  Protecting navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz is a global interest, and the United States will act, alongside partners, to ensure Iran cannot hold international commerce hostage to finance its malign activities.  We will continue working with allies to isolate the regime diplomatically and economically until it ceases its destabilizing behavior.

This most recent action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, which targets Iran’s financial, petroleum, and petrochemical sectors.  It continues the robust sanctions campaign targeting Iranian oil sales in support of the President’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 (NSPM-2).  For more information on today’s action, please see the Department of the Treasury’s press release.

Politics

U.S. Upends Iranian Shadow Fleet and Oil-for-Gold Terror Financing Network

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Press Statement via Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson April 15, 2026

The United States is acting to decisively limit Iran’s ability to generate revenue as it attempts to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage. Today’s sanctions target elements of U.S.-designated Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani’s multi-billion-dollar oil smuggling empire that enriches the Iranian regime and its elites. It also targets a separate oil-for-gold network that finances U.S.-designated Hizballah and the U.S.-designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

The Iranian regime continues to enrich corrupt elites like the Shamkhani family while ordinary Iranians suffer under a deteriorating economy. The regime likewise funnels the wealth of the Iranian people to Hizballah and other terrorists in the Middle East. These designations underscore our commitment to maximum pressure on Iran and its terrorist proxies.

The complex schemes involving illicit Iranian oil, gold, and terrorist financing demonstrate the lengths to which Iran and its partners will go to evade sanctions and fund malign activities. We will continue to expose and disrupt these networks.

Since President Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, the United States has sanctioned over 1,000 persons, vessels, and aircraft as part of our campaign against Iranian malign activity. We will not relent in our efforts to deny Iran and its proxies the resources they use to threaten U.S. interests and regional stability.

Today’s action marks the latest round of sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales and support to Iran’s terrorist proxies since the issuance of National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 (NSPM-2), directing maximum pressure on Iran and its regional proxies. More information on today’s designations can be found in Treasury’s Press Release.