US Treasury Secretary Announces Freeze of $130 Million in Cryptocurrency Linked to Iran

Washington, July 15 (KUNA) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Wednesday the freezing of $130 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran, as part of a campaign to impose maximum pressure on Tehran. Bessent stated in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account that the U.S. administration would continue to aggressively track funds and prevent the Iranian regime from accessing revenues from its illicit revenue schemes. He emphasized the Treasury Department’s commitment to disrupting Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its misuse of digital assets and efforts to curb their proliferation. Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on more than 50 individuals, entities, and a vessel within an Iranian “illicit” shipping network designed to evade sanctions, noting that these measures are part of intensified economic pressure on Iran. In early February 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum to reinstate the “maximum pressure” policy toward Iran, a strategy adopted by his administration during its first term, which tightened the squeeze on Iran and implemented numerous measures to economically isolate it, including withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Tehran. (End) A.M.M.