US targets Dubai financier tied to Khamenei in fresh Iran sanctions

The Trump administration imposed a sweeping new round of sanctions on July 10 against a Dubai-based financier tied to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as well as three Iranian currency exchange houses, as part of efforts to restrict the Islamic Regime’s access to foreign currency and undermine the functionality of its financial system.

On Friday, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned Iranian national Ali Ansari, accusing him of operating a transnational syndicate of real estate and commercial holdings across Europe and the Middle East that benefited Khamenei, other regime insiders and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to the Treasury, the network also diverted funds from the Iranian people for the regime’s elite. Consequently, the Treasury also sanctioned three Iran-based exchange houses, their managing partners and associated shell corporations, for moving billions of dollars on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks through shadow banking networks.

In this connection, the US Treasury secretary, Scott Besant said: “The so-called Supreme Leader is hiding in seclusion while his regime crumbles.”

“The Treasury will continue using every tool at its disposal to isolate him and other regime elites from the global financial system. We will preserve these assets for the Iranian people.”

The US State Department spokesman, Tommy Pigott stated that those actions reflect the Trump administration’s primary commitment to holding accountable to all those who enable the regime’s corruption and regional belligerence.

Additionally, the sanctions were announced days after Iran launched strikes on commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, triggering renewed US military strikes and further economic measures against Tehran.