The United States has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector, intensifying economic pressure on Tehran as it continues to restrict traffic through the Strait of Hormuz amid the wider Middle East conflict.

Officials in Washington said the measures are aimed at curbing Iran’s ability to finance regional armed groups and its own military operations. The sanctions focus on entities involved in producing, transporting, and marketing Iranian crude and petrochemicals, as well as networks accused of helping Tehran evade existing restrictions.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to global markets, is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. A significant share of internationally traded oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait. Iran’s continued closure and harassment of shipping there has raised fears of supply disruptions, higher energy prices, and a broader confrontation drawing in regional and global powers.

US officials described the new sanctions as part of a coordinated effort with European and Asian partners to limit Iran’s oil exports, which remain a key source of hard currency for the government. The measures are expected to complicate insurance, financing, and logistics for tankers carrying Iranian crude, and to deter refiners from purchasing it, even at discounted prices.

Tehran has condemned the move as economic warfare and insists it is acting in response to what it calls hostile policies and military deployments by the United States and its allies. Iranian authorities argue that as long as they face pressure and threats, they will use their geographic leverage over the Strait of Hormuz to influence global energy flows.

Energy analysts warn that the combination of tighter sanctions and restricted passage through the strait could inject fresh volatility into oil markets. While some Gulf producers are exploring alternative export routes, these options are limited and cannot fully replace the volumes that normally transit the waterway.

Diplomats say the sanctions are intended both to punish and to signal, increasing the cost to Iran of its current strategy while leaving open the possibility of de-escalation if Tehran eases its closure of the strait and returns to negotiations over its nuclear and regional activities.