US imposes new wave of sanctions on Iran as Trump pledges to ramp up attacks

The United States on Wednesday unveiled a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran’s military and weapons procurement networks, shortly after President Donald Trump stated that US forces would continue military operations against Iranian targets.

According to the US Treasury Department, nine individuals and entities were sanctioned for allegedly assisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), and other military organizations in obtaining weapons and defense-related materials.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures are part of the administration’s broader campaign to disrupt Iran’s military capabilities and foreign procurement networks.

He asserted that the Treasury Department has significantly weakened Iran’s economy and military infrastructure through sanctions and asset freezes, adding that any support for Iran’s armed forces would not be tolerated.

Among those designated are several China-based individuals and companies. The Treasury identified Liu Boyu, director of Mustad Limited, accusing the company of helping the IRGC acquire weapons worth millions of dollars. Two employees of the firm, Wang Hongyi and Xu Lichun, were also added to the sanctions list.

The sanctions further target Mustad’s affiliated businesses and Domus Trading HK Limited, which US authorities claim has facilitated transactions through Iran’s covert banking network and supported payments linked to Iranian weapons procurement activities.

Additionally, Iranian national Manuchehr Golchin, who operates from China, was sanctioned for allegedly arranging defense-related purchases for MODAFL. Chinese citizen Meng Shaopei was also designated for reportedly assisting Golchin through the Hong Kong-based company Solos International Limited.

The Treasury announcement came just minutes after Trump signaled that US military strikes against Iran would continue. His remarks followed the reported downing of a US Apache helicopter on Monday.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said American forces had carried out significant attacks and would launch further operations in response. Referring to the helicopter incident, he argued that the US was justified in taking military action after the aircraft was shot down.

Trump also expressed frustration over ongoing negotiations aimed at formally ending the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. He suggested that a deal had been within reach but accused Iran of delaying progress and acting in bad faith.