The US on Friday announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil and petrochemical trade, including an India-based shipping management firm, hours after indirect talks between Tehran and Washington concluded in Oman, even as both sides signalled a willingness to continue negotiations aimed at easing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
According to Reuters, the sanctions, unveiled by the US State Department, target 15 entities and 14 vessels linked to Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which Washington says is used to transport petroleum, petroleum products and petrochemicals in violation of international restrictions.
In a statement, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the measures were part of the Trump administration’s renewed pressure campaign against Tehran.
“President Donald Trump is committed to driving down the Iranian regime’s illicit oil and petrochemical exports under the administration’s maximum pressure campaign,” Pigott said.
The United States said the sanctions were intended to cut off revenue streams that Tehran uses to fund domestic repression and destabilising activities abroad.
Pigott accused Iran of prioritising repression and regional destabilisation over the welfare of its own population.
“Instead of investing in the welfare of its own people and crumbling infrastructure, the Iranian regime continues to fund destabilising activities around the world and step up its repression inside Iran,” he said.
Warning of further action, Pigott added, “So long as Iranian regime attempts to evade sanctions and generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund such oppressive behavior and support terrorist activities and proxies, the United States will act to hold both the Iranian regime and its partners accountable.”
Among those targeted is an India-based firm involved in managing a vessel accused of transporting Iranian petroleum products in breach of international restrictions.
The State Department said Elevate Marine Management Private Limited, an Indian commercial shipping management company, acted as the commercial manager of the BENEDICT, a Cameroon-flagged crude oil tanker alleged to have transported Iranian petroleum products on at least three occasions between September and November 2025.
Akash Anant Shinde, an Indian national, was identified as a director of the company.
Talks amid tensions
The sanctions announcement came shortly after Iranian and US officials concluded a day of indirect negotiations in Muscat, mediated by Oman. Tehran described the talks as constructive.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, struck a cautiously optimistic tone, calling the discussions “a good start.”
“If we can go along with this positive path, I can say that we can reach a positive framework regarding the nuclear talks between Iran and the US,” Araghchi told reporters. He said both sides had agreed to continue discussions after further consultations in their respective capitals.
“Our concerns were conveyed, as well as our interests and the rights that the Iranian people have. It was conveyed in a very good atmosphere, and the views of the other side were also heard,” he added.
Oman’s foreign ministry said its foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, met separately with Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat. Footage later released by Oman’s state news agency showed US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, also present.
The negotiations mark the first formal engagement since the United States joined Israel’s military action against Iran in June, during which US strikes damaged Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel also targeted Iran’s air defence systems and ballistic missile infrastructure. Since then, Washington has bolstered its military presence in the region, deploying additional warships, fighter jets and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
US officials have said Washington wants the talks to extend beyond Iran’s nuclear programme to include its missile capabilities and regional influence, a position Tehran has rejected, insisting discussions remain limited in scope.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the challenges earlier this week, saying, “I’m not sure you can reach a deal with these guys, but we’re going to try to find out.”
Tensions remain high as both sides weigh diplomacy against the risk of escalation. The US has recently shot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln, while Iran has attempted to stop a US-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
Friday’s measures follow similar sanctions imposed last month targeting vessels accused of transporting hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil. The US Treasury Department has said Iran’s shadow fleet plays a critical role in financing the regime, including its domestic crackdowns and regional activities.
With inputs from agencies
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