US Announces Fresh Sanctions On Iran Oil Exports As Oman Talks Wrap Up

The United States announced fresh sanctions on Iran’s oil exports on Friday, including targeting 14 vessels, moments after the two countries wrapped up a day of indirect talks in Oman amid escalating tensions over Tehran’s recent crackdown on a wave of protests.

The US State Department ordered a block of any transactions with 14 vessels said to transport Iranian oil, including ships flagged from Turkey, India and the United Arab Emirates. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Iran uses oil revenue to “fund destabilizing activities around the world and step up its repression inside Iran.”

“So long as Iranian regime attempts to evade sanctions and generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund such oppressive behaviour and support terrorist

activities and proxies, the United States will act to hold both the Iranian regime and its partners accountable,” he added.

Indian National Also Sanctioned

The United States has sanctioned 15 entities, two individuals, and 14 shadow fleet vessels connected to the illicit trade in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products, claiming that they have generated revenue for the Islamic Republic’s “malign activities”.

An Indian entity and an Indian national are also under these sanctions. Elevate Marine Management Private Limited is the India-based commercial manager of Benedict, a Cameroon-flagged crude oil tanker, which transported Iranian petroleum products on at least three occasions between September and November 2025, the state department said.

Elevate was designated for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. Akash Anant Shinde, an Indian national and the director of Elevate, was also sanctioned by the US.

Under these sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated or otherwise blocked 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). Additionally, all entities and individuals that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.

READ MORE: Iran, US In Consultations To Restart Diplomatic, Technical Negotiations: Oman

Indirect Talks In Oman

The development came after the US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman aimed at creating suitable conditions for the resumption of diplomatic and technical negotiations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks were off to a “good start” and set to continue, but warned against any threats or pressure.

This came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any discussions to revive diplomacy must include curbs on Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and “treatment of their own people”. Iran has repeatedly ruled out putting its missiles up for discussions.

Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated the talks, said they had been “very serious”, with results to be considered carefully in Tehran and Washington. Meanwhile, Iran’s IRNA news agency said a political statement after the first round of talks would be a positive step toward reducing regional tensions.

The talks were held against a backdrop of rising tensions after weeks of heated rhetoric and military manoeuvres following widespread protests in Iran over economic stagnation, which prompted a brutal crackdown by Iranian authorities.