Washington accuses lender of facilitating transactions tied to Iran’s IRGC as pressure on Tehran intensifies.
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The US Treasury Department has targeted a Turkish bank accused of helping facilitate trade between China and Iran, including transactions linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The move marks an escalation in Washington’s economic pressure on Tehran and represents a significant step involving a financial institution based in a NATO member state.
US authorities allege that the bank played a role in enabling financial activity connected to Iranian interests, as Washington continues efforts to restrict Iran’s access to the international financial system.
The latest action comes as the United States expands sanctions aimed at disrupting networks that support Iran’s trade and revenue flows.
Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States, has maintained extensive economic ties with both Iran and China, making the latest Treasury action particularly sensitive for Ankara-Washington relations.
The sanctions underscore Washington’s broader campaign to target financial channels it says are being used to support Iran and entities associated with the IRGC.
