By Al-Fassel | 2025-05-03

The United States imposed new sanctions on the sprawling corporate network of an Iranian energy magnate as world leaders warned of Tehran's accelerating nuclear capabilities and non-compliance with international agreements.

The April 22 sanctions target Iranian tycoon Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh, his British-Iranian son Meisam, and their extensive liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) network spanning Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and United Kingdom.

Emamjomeh, accused of shipping hundreds of millions of dollars worth of petroleum products in violation of sanctions, operates from Iran while his son runs operations from the UAE, according to the US Treasury.

The network transported thousands of LPG shipments from Iran to Pakistan while conducting tens of millions in transactions on behalf of Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co.

The Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co., linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is already under US sanctions.

Nine additional Iranian LPG companies under Emamjomeh's control have been sanctioned, including one reported to hold a monopoly on the National Iranian Gas Company's LPG deliveries.

“Emamjomeh and his network sought to export thousands of shipments of LPG -- including from the United States -- to evade US sanctions and generate revenue for Iran,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

"This revenue funds Iran's malign behavior, particularly the regime's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for terrorist proxies," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.

Nuclear non-compliance

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in February said the Iranian regime has breached critical nuclear deal limits, advancing uranium enrichment to 60% purity -- near weapons grade -- while restricting international oversight.

The violation prompted IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to warn in his April 22 address to the Council on Foreign Relations that Tehran now has enough enriched uranium to produce several nuclear warheads within months.

The Iranian regime's systematic violations have accelerated since 2015.

Last year, Britain, France and Germany formally detailed these violations to the United Nations Security Council in a diplomatic push to pressure Tehran toward negotiations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged European allies on April 18 to invoke sanctions "snapback" mechanisms over the Iranian regime's clear violations.

"They have an important decision to make very soon...because Iran is clearly out of compliance with the current deal," Rubio said following talks with European counterparts in Paris, according to AFP.

Tehran later reaffirmed its position, when Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declared uranium enrichment and comprehensive sanctions relief "red lines" in any future agreement, Iran International reported.