The United States has imposed its most sweeping sanctions on Iran since 2018, targeting an extensive oil shipping network allegedly used to skirt global restrictions. At the heart of the operation is a Dominica-issued passport, reportedly obtained under the alias “Hugo Hayek” by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani — the son of a top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Shamkhani used the Dominican passport, acquired through the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, to obscure his identity and circumvent international scrutiny. The document allegedly facilitated his involvement in laundering billions of dollars through illicit Iranian and Russian oil sales, primarily to Chinese buyers.

The new sanctions, announced on July 30, include 115 designations across 17 countries. The measures target 52 vessels, 15 shipping companies, and 53 entities accused of enabling the sale and shipment of sanctioned oil.

U.S. officials warned that anyone involved in the Iranian oil trade risks being cut off from the American financial system. The revelations are expected to reignite concerns about the integrity of Caribbean CBI programmes and their potential exploitation by individuals seeking to evade international sanctions.