US Treasury Expands Iran Sanctions to Cover Crypto, Gold, and Tech

The US Treasury has expanded its Iran sanctions authority to cover digital assets, gold, technology, aviation, and shipping. The new determination gives the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) wider power to target individuals and companies operating in these sectors of Iran's economy.

The measure took effect on August 24, 2026, under Executive Order 13902. Treasury also announced a fresh sanctions package covering nearly 60 Iran-linked individuals, entities, and vessels. Ivan Obukhov, a Ukrainian shipping broker based in the UAE, was sanctioned for processing over $100 million in crypto payments since 2023 to support Iranian oil sales for the IRGC-Quds Force.

The new determination applies Section 1(a)(i) of Executive Order 13902 to five additional areas of Iran's economy: digital assets, gold, technology, aviation, and shipping. OFAC can now sanction any person it determines operates in these sectors, regardless of their location. This expansion of sanctions authority also gives OFAC a broader legal route to target exchanges, brokers, payment providers, and other crypto businesses linked to Iran.