US puts sanctions on Iran’s petroleum sector over missile strike on Israel – Times of India

The United States has announced new sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical industries in response to an attack on Israel on October 1. The US is also targeting 16 entities involved in the Iranian petroleum trade and blocking 23 vessels.
US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a post on X, “We are announcing broad new sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors to further deny the Iranian regime the resources it may use to fund its destabilising activities.We are also sanctioning 16 entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and blocking 23 vessels.”
The US secretary of state Antony Blinken said these actions aim to disrupt the flow of revenue Iran uses for its nuclear program and to support terrorist groups. “In the aftermath of Iran’s unprecedented October 1 attack against Israel, the United States made clear that we would impose consequences on Iran for its actions,” he said.
The US department of state has sanctioned six entities involved in the Iranian petroleum trade and blocked six vessels. The Treasury Department, in consultation with the state department, will impose additional sanctions on those operating in the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of Iran’s economy.
The US Treasury has also sanctioned 10 entities and blocked 17 vessels involved in transporting Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products. These actions target efforts to use revenues from Iran’s energy industry to finance nuclear development, missiles, drones, and support regional terrorist proxies, according to treasury secretary Janet L Yellen.
“In response to Iran’s attack on Israel, the United States is taking decisive action to further disrupt the Iranian regime’s ability to fund and carry out its destabilising activity,” she said.
Blinken also emphasised that the US will continue employing all available tools to hold Iran accountable as long as it uses energy revenues to fund attacks on US allies, support terrorism globally, and engage in other harmful actions. He stressed that these efforts will be strengthened through close coordination with international partners and allies to counter Iran’s activities.
This statement came after a major attack on October 1, when Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles targeting Israel. In response, the US military coordinated closely with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to defend against the attack. US naval destroyers and Israeli air defense units worked together to intercept and shoot down incoming missiles.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the missile strike, calling it a “big mistake” by Iran, and warned that Tehran would face consequences for the attack.