The United States announced new sanctions on July 11, 2026, aimed at a significant financier associated with Iran’s leadership, Mojtaba Khamenei, along with 13 additional individuals and entities. The measures are part of Washington’s intensified efforts to isolate Tehran’s ruling authority following a series of aggressive actions against oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The US Treasury Department identified Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker and businessman residing in Dubai, as the principal target of these sanctions.

Ali Ansari has previously faced sanctions from Britain for allegedly providing financial support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other entities. The Treasury Department’s statement accused Ansari of misappropriating publicly funded resources, directing them towards a vast portfolio of overseas real estate and commercial interests. These actions reportedly benefited himself, other elites within the Iranian government, and the IRGC.

The Treasury further stated that Ansari had owned and operated the Ayandeh Bank, which the Iranian authorities closed in October 2025 following US sanctions. The financial assets linked to him were said to involve an array of shell companies and bank accounts across various jurisdictions, amassing substantial wealth under the guise of Smart Global Limited, a holding company established in Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2011.

Impact of Sanctions on Iranian Financial Activities

According to the Treasury, while these financial assets are reportedly attributed to Ansari, they ultimately benefit Mojtaba Khamenei, his family, and other influential figures within the regime and IRGC. This arrangement allegedly allows Ansari to evade accountability despite his conduct contributing to significant economic damage in Iran.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also targeted three exchange houses operating in Iran, along with foreign front companies allegedly facilitating the movement of billions of dollars annually on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banking institutions. Through complex structures involving shell companies, they are accused of concealing the Iranian government’s illicit financial activities.

Additional measures were implemented against Iranian nationals linked to these exchange houses, as well as Hong Kong-based CDM Trading Limited and UAE-based Naba Alzaki Raw Materials Trading LLC, both of which are said to have engaged in financial transactions for the exchange houses.

Reactions and Broader Implications

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that the US intends to disrupt the financial networks sustaining Iran’s ruling elites. He asserted that by targeting these entities, the US directly affects Iran’s capacity to access foreign currency and maintain international financial operations.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed commitment to leveraging every available measure to isolate Mojtaba Khamenei and other senior officials from the global financial landscape. The announcement of these sanctions coincided with a period of relative calm after heightened tensions, where three commercial tankers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia faced attacks attributed to Iran, leading to retaliatory US strikes on Iranian positions.

In discussions surrounding these developments, US President Donald Trump indicated that the ceasefire agreement with Iran had concluded, although talks would continue at Tehran’s request. Iran signalled preparedness for an “all-out defence” in the event of any violations of the recent memorandum of understanding with Washington. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, emphasised that conflict would persist unless Tehran capitulated, marking a significant moment in US-Iran relations during this ongoing period of diplomatic tension.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share