Reported by Richard Vanderford

The U.S. is ratcheting up sanctions targeting Iran’s oil supply chain, continuing the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign to effectively blockade the country’s petroleum exports, the Treasury Department said.

More than 30 entities, individuals and vessels connected with Iran’s so-called shadow fleet have been hit with new U.S. sanctions, Treasury said Monday. The sanctioned entities include oil brokers in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, tanker operators and managers in China, and the head of Iran’s state-owned oil company.

Earlier this month, President Trump issued a national security memo reviving a campaign of what he called maximum pressure on Iran. In his first administration, Trump targeted Iran with an identically named push, but former officials say his views on the country have likely hardened following an alleged plot by Iranian agents to assassinate him.

The latest iteration of the policy is aimed at reducing Iran’s oil exports to zero, according to the memo. In the directive, Trump also explicitly referred to Iran’s exports to China, saying those should also come to a complete halt.

Read full report: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-u-s-sanctions-target-irans-oil-supply-chain-amid-trumps-maximum-pressure-push-b18c3686