The US Department of the Treasury announced today, Friday (May 1, 2026), a new package of sanctions targeting approximately 35 individuals and entities linked to what it described as the Iranian regime's "shadow banking networks." The Treasury explained in a statement that these measures are part of Operation "Economic Fury" aimed at crippling Tehran's ability to access the international financial system and collect payments for illicit oil and commodity sales, which channel billions of dollars to the Revolutionary Guard and armed forces. In a stern warning, the Treasury cautioned international shipping companies that paying any fees or levies to Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would expose them to strict sanctions, regardless of the payment method used. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent affirmed that Washington will "relentlessly pursue anyone who enables the Iranian regime to circumvent international sanctions and attempts to generate illicit revenue."