Washington DC; August 2026: The Department of State is sanctioning numerous entities, individuals, and vessels to further expose individuals and entities that enabled strikes against US forces and allies and to restrict the revenue that the Iranian regime uses to attack its neighbours, support terrorism abroad, brutally oppress its own people, and hold the global economy hostage.
All Department of State targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, which authorises and reimposes certain sanctions with respect to Iran, and E.O. 13949, which targets certain persons with respect to the conventional arms activities of Iran. Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury is designating nearly 60 entities, individuals, and identifying vessels as blocked property.These persons enable the Iranian regime’s illicit procurement, cyber operations, and petroleum and petrochemical product revenue generation networks.
Today’s action targets two Iran-based entities involved in the procurement of sensitive images that supported targeting of US service members and partners in the region, along with seven individuals responsible for Iran’s military activities and procurement efforts, including directing the use of conventional weapons against US forces and neutral neighbouring states and advocating for defence partnerships with Iran’s international partners that would contravene US sanctions.
DADENEGAR STARTUP STUDIO (DADENEGAR) - supported targeting of US and partner facilities in the Middle East for the Iranian military during Operation Epic Fury. It utilised commercial Chinese satellite images for some of these efforts. DADENEGAR supported Iran’s military targeting and battle damage assessment activities. Additionally, DADENEGAR conducted an online influence operation for the Iranian government. DADENEGAR is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(iii) of E.O. 13949 for having engaged, or attempted to engage, in any activity that materially contributes to, or poses a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of arms or related materiel or items intended for military end-uses or military end-users, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer, or use such items, by the Government of Iran (including persons owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of the Government of Iran) or paramilitary organisations financially or militarily supported by the Government of Iran.
IRANIAN ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS CYBER-ELECTRONIC COMMAND (IRGC-CEC) - obtained information related to US military assets and facilities that supported Iran’s military targeting during Operation Epic Fury. The IRGC-CEC is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(iii) of E.O. 13949 for having engaged, or attempted to engage, in any activity that materially contributes to, or poses a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of arms or related materiel or items intended for military end-uses or military end-users, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer, or use such items, by the Government of Iran (including persons owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of the Government of Iran) or paramilitary organisations financially or militarily supported by the Government of Iran.
MOHAMMAD BAQER ZOLQADR (ZOLQADR) - was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top formal decision-making body on national security and defence policy. ZOLQADR played an active role advocating for Iran’s continued support of its so-called Axis of Resistance.ZOLQADR was designated by the UN Security Council in Annex I of UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1747 (2007), reimposed on September 27, 2025, in response to Iran’s “significant non-performance” of its nuclear commitments. ZOLQADR is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(iii) of E.O. 13949 for having engaged, or attempted to engage, in any activity that materially contributes to, or poses a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of arms or related materiel or items intended for military end-uses or military end-users, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer, or use such items, by the Government of Iran (including persons owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of the Government of Iran) or paramilitary organisations financially or militarily supported by the Government of Iran.
ALI ABDOLLAHI (ABDOLLAHI) - is the commander of Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters, a US-sanctioned Iranian government entity responsible for joint and wartime operations. ABDOLLAHI has driven decisions related to Iran’s kinetic actions during Operation Epic Fury. ABDOLLAHI is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 13949 for providing to Iran any technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services, or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance, or use of arms and related materiel described in subsection (a)(i) of E.O. 13949.
AHMAD VAHIDI (VAHIDI) - is the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, which is considered to be the military vanguard of Iran. VAHIDI is one of the most influential individuals in Iran, both politically and militarily, driving decisions on Iran’s kinetic actions during Operation Epic Fury. VAHIDI is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 13949 for providing to Iran any technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services, or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance, or use of arms and related materiel described in subsection (a)(i) of E.O. 13949.
SAYYED HOSEIN MAJID MUSAVI EFTEKHARI (EFTEKHARI) - is the Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, the entity responsible for the IRGC’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. US has claimed that EFTEKHARI exercised responsibility for Iran’s ballistic missile and UAV programs during Operation Epic Fury. EFTEKHARI is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 13949 for providing to Iran any technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services, or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance, or use of arms and related materiel described in subsection (a)(i) of E.O. 13949.
SEYYED MAHDI FARAHI (FARAHI) - is the Deputy Defence Minister for Industrial and Research Affairs at MODAFL. FARAHI directs the procurement of arms and related materiel and has demonstrated in-depth knowledge of various missile systems, including those that Iran has reportedly used against US forces and allies during Operation Epic Fury. FARAHI is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 13949 for providing to Iran any technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services, or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance, or use of arms and related materiel described in subsection (a)(i) of E.O. 13949.
AMIR HATAMI (HATAMI) - is the Commander of the Artesh, Iran’s conventional military. HATAMI is responsible for the aspects of the conventional armaments of the Iranian armed forces and has responsibilities for the use of missiles and UAVs, including during Operation Epic Fury. HATAMI is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 13949 for providing to Iran any technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services, or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance, or use of arms and related materiel described in subsection (a)(i) of E.O. 13949.
REZA TALAEI-NIK (TALAEI-NIK) - is the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), the country’s main defence ministry body which functions as the central manager of the country’s military industries, procurement, and logistics. TALAEI-NIK has publicly advocated for defence partnerships with Iran’s international partners that would be in contravention of US sanctions and the reimposed Iran-related UN Security Council restrictive measures and sanctions.TALAEI-NIK is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 13949 for engaging in activity that materially contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer, directly or indirectly, to or from Iran, or for the use in or benefit of Iran, of arms or related materiel, including spare parts.
From today (25th August 2026) the Department of State is sanctioning multiple companies that have engaged in the illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products, activities that have generated millions of dollars in revenue for the Iranian regime. Iran’s exports of petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products are facilitated by shell companies and intermediaries in third countries. These Iranian petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical cargos are frequently transported by shadow fleet operators, including vessel management companies that regularly engage in dark activity and other deceptive shipping practices, endangering other vessels and trade flows.Finally, import and logistics companies, such as customs brokers and port agents, facilitate the entry of Iranian- origin commodities through customs on behalf of buyers in third countries. Today’s action targets all the nodes of this illicit trade, and promotes accountability for the buyers, sellers, intermediaries, and service providers that help facilitate Iran’s destabilizing activities.
The United States has targeted Customs Broker Involved in Facilitating the Trade of Iranian Petrochemical Products:
PORTEASE PARTNERS LLP (PORTEASE) - is an India-based customs broker that facilitated the import of multiple shipments of Iranian petrochemical products to India. PORTEASE is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for, on or after November 5, 2018, knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
INDRISMIYA ASHARAFMIYA SHEKH (INDRISMIYA) - is an Indian national and a designated partner of PORTEASE. INDRISMIYA is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or a person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of PORTEASE.
HARISH RAMCHANDRA RANGI (HARISH) - is an Indian national and a designated partner of PORTEASE. HARISH is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or a person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of PORTEASE.
As a result of today’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O.s 13949 and 13846, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, all entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50% or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
All transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorised by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt.These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
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