The United States has enforced sanctions on more than 50 individuals, companies, and vessels associated with Iran’s energy trade. The aim is to disrupt funding for Tehran’s alleged support of terrorist activities. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) unveiled the latest set of restrictions, which also include three Indian nationals accused of aiding Iran in selling oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through intricate global networks.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attributed the actions to the Trump administration’s efforts to diminish Iran’s financial resources. He stated that the Treasury Department is dismantling crucial components of Iran’s energy export infrastructure, thereby impeding the regime’s capacity to finance terrorist organizations that pose a threat to the United States.
The announcement represents another episode in Washington’s enduring sanctions strategy, framed by Trump’s team as essential for national security. Among the sanctioned individuals are Varun Pula, Soniya Shrestha, and Iyappan Raja, all Indian nationals allegedly involved in facilitating shipments of Iranian oil and LPG. They were designated under Executive Order 13902 for their purported direct or indirect association with shipping companies involved in moving Iranian petroleum products.
Varun Pula is the owner of Bertha Shipping Inc., a Marshall Islands-based company operating the Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR, which has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since July 2024. Iyappan Raja owns Evie Lines Inc., also based in the Marshall Islands, operating the Panama-flagged SAPPHIRE GAS, which has shipped over a million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since April 2025. Soniya Shrestha owns Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited, an India-based firm operating the Comoros-flagged NEPTA, accused of transporting Iranian-origin LPG to Pakistan since January 2025.
The Treasury’s statement highlighted a network of “shadow fleet” vessels and front companies engaged in moving substantial amounts of Iranian LPG and crude oil, pointing to a China-based crude oil terminal and an independent refinery. The US claims that these operations have generated billions in revenue for Iran, which it alleges channels to militant groups in the Middle East.
Under the new sanctions, the assets and interests of the designated individuals and entities within the United States, or under the control of US persons, have been frozen. Additionally, any company owned 50 percent or more by these individuals will also face restrictions.