The United States has announced a fresh round of sanctions against Iranian individuals, companies and vessels accused of supporting Tehran’s military operations, cyber activities and illegal oil trade. The US State Department announced the measures on August 24. The latest action targets networks that Washington says help Iran acquire weapons, gather intelligence, conduct cyberattacks and transport Iranian oil. The US said the oil trade provides revenue to the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

The new sanctions are part of US President Donald Trump’s “Operation Economic Outcast”, also described as an “economic D-Day”. The campaign aims to increase pressure on Iran by targeting networks that support its military and economic activities. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the latest action covers several entities, individuals and vessels linked to what Washington described as Iran’s destabilising activities. “Today, the United States took sweeping action against multiple entities, individuals, and vessels enabling the Iranian regime’s destabilising activities," he said in a statement.

As part of the latest action, the US sanctioned two Iran-based groups, DadeNegar Startup Studio and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC). Washington accused DadeNegar of using commercially available Chinese satellite images to help Iran identify US forces and military bases in the Gulf during Operation Epic Fury. The operation refers to the joint US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran that began on February 28.

The IRGC-CEC was also placed under sanctions. The US accused the group of obtaining information about American forces and military bases and said the information supported Iran’s targeting efforts. Washington linked both organisations to activities connected with Iran’s military procurement networks.

The sanctions also target seven Iranian officials associated with military operations and weapons programmes. Those named include former Supreme National Security Council official Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi and Ali Abdollahi, who commands the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. The US also sanctioned IRGC Aerospace Force commander Sayyid Hossein Mousavi Eftekhari and Iran’s conventional military commander Amir Hatami. Washington cited their roles in Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programmes.

Deputy Defence Minister for Industrial and Research Affairs Seyyed Mahdi Farahi has also been targeted. The US linked him to weapons procurement activities. Reza Talaei-Nik, spokesperson for Iran’s Defence Ministry, was also included in the sanctions.

The latest measures also extend to companies and individuals accused of facilitating Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade. The US State Department sanctioned four India-based companies over their alleged involvement in importing Iranian-origin petroleum and petrochemical products. The companies are PORTEASE PARTNERS LLP, SADASHIVA OVERSEAS LIMITED, PP SOFTTECH PRIVATE LIMITED and PRAKRUTEES INFRA IMPEX INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED.

The State Department claimed that PORTEASE PARTNERS LLP (PORTEASE) facilitated the import of multiple shipments of Iranian petrochemical products into India. It also designated two Indian nationals, Indrismiya Ashrafmiya Sheikh and Harish Ramchandra Rangi, as partners of the company.

The State Department said, "INDRISMIYA ASHARAFMIYA SHEKH (INDRISMIYA) is an Indian national and a designated partner of PORTEASE. HARISH RAMCHANDRA RANGI (HARISH) is an Indian national and a designated partner of PORTEASE."

SADASHIVA OVERSEAS was accused of importing around $69 million worth of Iranian-origin petroleum products from several companies between February 2024 and June 2025. The State Department said one of the companies involved was BONJOURE COMMODITY F.Z.E., which has already been designated by the US.

The State Department said, "SADASHIVA OVERSEAS is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran."

PP SOFTTECH PRIVATE LIMITED was also sanctioned after the US claimed that it imported around $25 million worth of Iranian-origin petroleum products between January 2024 and June 2025. The State Department identified Indian national Prashant Garg as a director of the company.

The State Department said, "PP SOFTTECH PRIVATE LIMITED (PP SOFTTECH) is an India-based company that imported approximately $25 million worth of Iranian-origin petroleum products between January 2024 and June 2025. PRASHANT GARG is an Indian national and a director of PP SOFTTECH."

The fourth India-based company, PRAKRUTEES INFRA IMPEX INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, was accused of importing Iranian-origin petroleum products worth $25 million from multiple companies between May 2023 and February 2026. The State Department again named BONJOURE COMMODITY F.Z.E. among the suppliers.

The State Department said, "(PRAKRUTEES INFRA) is an India-based company that imported Iranian-origin petroleum products valued at $25 million from multiple companies, including U.S.-designated BONJOURE COMMODITY F.Z.E., between May 2023 and February 2026."

The latest sanctions mark a wider US effort to target Iran’s military, cyber and economic networks. Washington has focused on groups involved in intelligence gathering, weapons procurement, missile and drone programmes and the movement of Iranian oil and petroleum products. The action also brings India-based companies into the latest sanctions round over alleged trade involving Iranian-origin energy products.