The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on over a dozen companies based in China, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates that Washington accused of facilitating the sale of Iranian petrochemicals and petroleum products to buyers in East Asia.
The latest U.S. move against Iranian oil smuggling comes as efforts to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal have stalled and ties between the Islamic Republic and other countries are increasingly strained, as well as the regime’s popularity in the face of growing anti-government protests.
