Woofun AI reports that the U.S. Treasury has formally integrated Iran's cryptocurrency industry into its sanctionable sectors, a strategic expansion executed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This determination, announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as part of Operation Economic Outcast, empowers regulators to blacklist any individual or entity operating within Iran's digital asset space, specifically targeting those facilitating transactions for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The scale of this financial infrastructure is substantial, with Iran's crypto ecosystem valued at $7.78 billion in 2025.

Woofun AI data shows that IRGC-linked wallets received more than $3 billion during that year, accounting for over half of all Iranian crypto inflows in the fourth quarter. These figures, however, represent only a fraction of the total activity, as they cover exclusively wallets publicly tied to existing sanctions listings, suggesting the actual volume of evasion may be significantly higher.

Specific enforcement actions highlight the operational scope of these measures, including the sanctioning of Ivan Obukhov, a Ukrainian vessel broker based in the UAE. Authorities allege Obukhov processed more than $100 million in crypto payments since 2023 to facilitate Iranian oil sales for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.

Concurrently, OFAC targeted exchanges Shelbit and Aban Tether for processing funds linked to sanctioned entities, while Tether previously froze approximately $131 million held in wallets connected to Iran's central bank.

This regulatory shift marks a broader campaign described by officials as an economic 'D–Day,' encompassing not just crypto but also technology, gold, aviation, and shipping sectors. By sanctioning nearly 60 entities alongside these sectoral designations, the Treasury has moved from targeting isolated actors to establishing a standing basis for comprehensive financial isolation. This represents a significant escalation in the intensity and breadth of economic pressure applied to Tehran.