US Treasury Sanctions Crypto Exchanges Tied to Iran's Revolutionary Guard
The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on two cryptocurrency exchanges for allegedly laundering millions of dollars on behalf of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Shelbit Exchange and Aban Tether, along with their operators, have been added to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Iran's reliance on digital assets and shadow banking networks is further evidence that the 'Economic Fury' campaign is working. The US will continue to increase economic pressure on the regime, whether in dollars, rials, or cryptocurrency.
The exchanges allegedly laundered funds for Iranian armed forces-linked wallets, with Shelbit sending over $2 million back to Iran after receiving $1 million in crypto. Shelbit also processed tens of millions from a Persian-language online gambling network, according to the Treasury.