The US has imposed new sanctions on Iran aimed at boosting efforts to disrupt an Iranian shipping network that Washington says helps to evade previous sanctions on oil sales and other activities, Reuters reports.

The measures imposed on the network of Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani represent the US Treasury’s latest effort to ramp up economic pressure on Tehran, the department says.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says his department is “shutting down the financial infrastructure that allows the regime to continue its threats to US national security and global shipping”.

The measures build on sanctions the US issued in April and last year, and the US has now sanctioned more than 200 individuals, entities, and vessels operating under Shamkhani, Treasury says.

The sanctions target individuals, entities and vessels, while Treasury also allowed wind-down activities, limited safety and environmental transactions, and the offloading of cargo involving certain persons or vessels blocked, the department says.