As nuclear talks with Iran teeter on collapse, the U.S. has sanctioned a vast money laundering network tied to Tehran while Western governments prepare a rare IAEA resolution accusing Iran of violating its nuclear obligations.

OFAC Targets Shadow Banking Pipeline

On June 6, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 35 individuals involved in a money laundering scheme that funneled billions through Iranian exchange houses and foreign fronts. The network is accused of sustaining Iran’s "campaigns of terror" and enriching regime elites.

This network has laundered billions of dollars… to sustain Tehran’s campaigns of terror that undermine international peace and security.

State Department spokesperson

IAEA Resolution Marks Diplomatic Escalation

The Associated Press reported that Western allies plan to introduce a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that formally declares Iran in breach of nuclear obligations — a move not seen in two decades. Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi called the move “malign action” and warned, “Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights.”

Iranian Public Trapped in Crisis

Iranians interviewed by Fox News described an economy in collapse, rampant censorship, and a public with little hope. “If the regime reaches a deal, it could become more powerful and more confident in suppressing people,” said a female journalist in Tehran. Others noted that past agreements like the 2015 JCPOA offered no real change to ordinary citizens.

With protests — including a nationwide truckers' strike — still emerging across the country, many fear renewed deals may embolden the regime rather than bring relief.