The US sanctioned Iraq’s deputy oil minister and three militia leaders for exploiting the country’s oil sector and supporting Iranian-backed terrorist activity, ramping up pressure on Tehran and its regional proxies as the Trump administration seeks a deal to end a war in its 10th week.
The US Treasury Department announced Thursday that it blacklisted Ali Maarij Al-Bahadly, alleging that he helped facilitate the diversion of Iraqi oil products to benefit Iran-linked terrorist militia Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq and oil smuggler Salim Ahmed Said, an Iraqi-British national who was sanctioned last year.
The department also sanctioned three individuals who it said ...