U.S. Sanctions Target Dominica’s CBI Program Linked to Iranian Oil Network

Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit (photo by natureislenews)

The United States has intensified its sanctions against Iran, focusing on a sprawling oil shipping network allegedly overseen by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, whose father is a high-ranking advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

At the heart of these sanctions is a passport issued by Dominica, under the alias “Hugo Hayek.” U.S. authorities allege that Shamkhani utilized this document to evade international sanctions and facilitate his travels.

The U.S. Treasury Department has stated that the passport, obtained through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, allowed him to bypass scrutiny while executing oil-related transactions.

Announced on July 30, the sanctions encompass 115 designations across 17 different countries. They specifically target 52 vessels, 15 shipping companies, and 53 entities implicated in laundering billions of dollars from Iranian and Russian oil sales, primarily to buyers in China.

U.S. officials have cautioned that any entities engaging in trade with Iranian oil could face exclusion from the American financial system, heightening the stakes for companies involved in this sector.

The move underscores the U.S.’s ongoing efforts to combat international sanctions evasion and assert its influence in global energy markets.