Designation Date: 24 April 2026
Issuing Authority: Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), U.S. Department of the Treasury
Legal Basis: Executive Order 13224, as amended (counterterrorism sanctions authority)
Overview
On 24 April 2026, OFAC announced the designation of a network of cryptocurrency wallets and associated entities linked to Iranian financial infrastructure.
The action resulted in the blocking of approximately $344 million in digital assets, making it one of the largest crypto-related sanctions enforcement actions to date.
The designation targets actors assessed to have facilitated financial activity on behalf of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and networks linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The identified infrastructure enabled the movement and storage of funds through digital assets, supporting sanctioned state-linked financial activity.
About the IRGC
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was established in 1979 following the Iranian Revolution. It operates as a parallel military and economic force within Iran, with significant influence across defense, intelligence, and financial sectors.
The IRGC is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and is subject to extensive international sanctions.
IRGC-linked networks have increasingly incorporated cryptocurrency into their financial operations. Observed use cases include:
- Sanctions evasion through non-traditional payment rails
- Use of intermediaries to obscure transaction flows
- Storage of value in digital assets, particularly stablecoins
- Cross-border transfers outside regulated financial institutions
Crypto is used as a supplementary financial tool within a broader sanctions evasion framework, rather than as a standalone system.
Designated Wallets
- TNiq9AXBp9EjUqhDhrwrfvAA8U3GUQZH81
- TTiDLWE6fZK8okMJv6ijg42yrH6W2pjSr9
Designated Entities
- ANKA ENERGY AND LOGISTICS COMPANY
- COSTIN SHIPPING LIMITED
- DOFA SHIPPING LTD
- EVY BLUE LTD
- EXTENSIVE SHIPPING LIMITED
- HENGLI PETROCHEMICAL DALIAN REFINERY CO., LTD.
- LAUREL SHIPPING LTD
- LEPUS NAVIGATION LTD
- LISBOA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED
- MIHIR SHIPPING INC.
- NAXOS MARITIME AND TRADING S.A.
- NICE GIFT LIMITED
- PATRIOT INC.
- REAYOU COMPANY LIMITED
- SKYROS MARITIME AND TRADING S.A.
- THIEN AN HOA BINH COMPANY LIMITED
- TING TAO COMPANY LIMITED
- XIFOIDES GROUP LIMITED
- YEGUA TRADING LIMITED
- ZHOUSHAN YAOHAI SHIPPING CO., LTD.
Designated Vessels
- ANSHUN II (a.k.a. "AN SHUN II") (3FWU9) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag;
- BANGUS (8PRX) Crude/Oil Products Tanker Barbados flag;
- BENTLEY (E5U5228) Chemical/Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag;
- COVENIO (HOZX) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag;
- EDOR (V7A3569) Crude Oil Tanker Marshall Islands flag;
- GALVIN (3E2372) LPG Tanker Panama flag;
- GLOBAL VIVIAN (HPLV) LPG Tanker Panama flag;
- GOLDEN SUNRISE (D6A4080) Crude Oil Tanker Comoros flag;
- HH GLORY (3FCJ9) LPG Tanker Panama flag;
- LIN 9 (V2YG8) LPG Tanker Antigua & Barbuda flag;
- LISBOA (HPQL) Chemical/Oil Tanker Panama flag;
- LPG SEVAN (3E2818) LPG Tanker Panama flag;
- LYNN (VRWZ6) Crude Oil Tanker Hong Kong flag;
- MAGNOLIA (VRSY6) Crude Oil Tanker Hong Kong flag;
- MIRAAN (a.k.a. "CHINTAMANI") (D6A4322) Oil Products Tanker Comoros flag;
- SEEKER 8 (YJRQ9) Crude Oil Tanker Vanuatu flag; Former Vessel Flag Panama;
- SMD WORLD (3FRT9) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag;
- STELLAR BEVERLY Crude Oil Tanker Mozambique (False) flag;
- ZHEN ZHU (8POV) Crude Oil Tanker Barbados flag;
Compliance Obligations
All U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the designated entities and associated wallet addresses.
Obligations include:
- Blocking any property or interests in property linked to designated parties
- Reporting such holdings to OFAC
- Ensuring ongoing sanctions screening and monitoring
Non-U.S. entities may be exposed to secondary sanctions risk if they facilitate significant transactions involving designated actors or fail to implement adequate controls.
Official Designation Document
OFAC Sanctions Notice – 24 April 2026 https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260424
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