As is known, there has been tension in Iran for some time between the Revolutionary Guard and the people over violent protests. Trump said in recent weeks that help was coming and that people should continue to resist, and called for an end to the violent crackdown on protesters. Following this, we witnessed the Iranian government halting executions.
The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on cryptocurrency markets operating in Iran. This is the first time this has happened. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also imposed sanctions on Zedcex and Zedion, which operate in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the European Union has designated the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.
The platforms are reportedly linked to Babak Morteza Zanjani, who embezzled revenues from Iran’s national oil companies. OFAC alleges that Zanjani generated income for the regime through these methods. It is known that the Iranian Central Bank purchased 500 million USDT this month to manipulate the foreign exchange markets following the extreme fall in the value of the rial.
It is known that Zedcex has conducted $94 billion in transactions since its establishment in 2022. It has been reported that the sanctions, which are part of a larger package targeting Iranian officials who violently suppress protests and are involved in human rights violations, are intended to be more comprehensive. In light of these sanctions, we can say that this is just the beginning. Furthermore, experts say that these moves are not just sanctions, but a tool of pressure.
Neighboring countries like Turkey remain neutral on this issue but support a de-escalation of the situation in Iran. Also, Turkey and Iran held talks recently. Turkey wants to assume a mediating role here, as it did in the Russia-Ukraine issue. Moreover, Donald Trump invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Gaza peace summit as a founding member, despite Israel’s objections.
