THE FOLLOW UP
STATEMENT

Treasury targets shadow‑banking firms and officials tied to Iran’s Bank Melli and Shahr Bank

True

Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.

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enforcement

OFAC has added the named companies and individuals to its list of designated/blocked persons (pursuant to the cited E.O.) and associated blocking measures apply.

Source summary
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on January 15, 2026 targeting Iranian officials involved in the violent suppression of nationwide protests and 18 individuals and entities tied to shadow banking networks that launder oil and petrochemical revenues. Designations include Ali Larijani and networks linked to Bank Melli and Shahr Bank; measures are taken under Executive Orders 13553, 13876, and 13902. The action blocks property of designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction and highlights enforcement and reporting requirements for U.S. persons and financial institutions.
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Latest fact check

The U.S. Treasury’s January 15, 2026 press release explicitly states that OFAC is targeting “shadow banking” networks of sanctioned Iranian financial institutions Bank Melli and Shahr Bank, and within that context it names Iran-based Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company, UAE-based Empire International Trading FZE, and Singapore-based Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. as part of Bank Melli’s rahbar (shadow banking) network. The same release specifies that Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company, Mehdi Rashno, Bashir Abbaspour Qomi, Hamid Reza Khamer, Empire International Trading FZE, and Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. “are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy.” OFAC’s official Recent Actions page for January 15, 2026 confirms that NIKAN PEZHVAK ARIA KISH COMPANY, EMPIRE INTERNATIONAL TRADING FZE, and GOLDEN MIST PTE. LTD. were added to the SDN list under the Iran-related sanctions program on that date. These records corroborate that OFAC designated these entities as part of a broader action against shadow-banking networks linked to Bank Melli and Bank Shahr. Based on this evidence, the statement is True because OFAC did designate a group of individuals and companies tied to Bank Melli and Shahr Bank’s shadow-banking networks on January 15, 2026, and that group explicitly includes Nikan Pezhvak, Empire International Trading FZE, and Golden Mist PTE. Ltd.

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Timeline

  1. Update · Jan 16, 2026, 12:52 AMTrue
    The U.S. Treasury’s January 15, 2026 press release explicitly states that OFAC is targeting “shadow banking” networks of sanctioned Iranian financial institutions Bank Melli and Shahr Bank, and within that context it names Iran-based Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company, UAE-based Empire International Trading FZE, and Singapore-based Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. as part of Bank Melli’s rahbar (shadow banking) network. The same release specifies that Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company, Mehdi Rashno, Bashir Abbaspour Qomi, Hamid Reza Khamer, Empire International Trading FZE, and Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. “are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy.” OFAC’s official Recent Actions page for January 15, 2026 confirms that NIKAN PEZHVAK ARIA KISH COMPANY, EMPIRE INTERNATIONAL TRADING FZE, and GOLDEN MIST PTE. LTD. were added to the SDN list under the Iran-related sanctions program on that date. These records corroborate that OFAC designated these entities as part of a broader action against shadow-banking networks linked to Bank Melli and Bank Shahr. Based on this evidence, the statement is True because OFAC did designate a group of individuals and companies tied to Bank Melli and Shahr Bank’s shadow-banking networks on January 15, 2026, and that group explicitly includes Nikan Pezhvak, Empire International Trading FZE, and Golden Mist PTE. Ltd.
  2. Update · Jan 16, 2026, 12:38 AMTrue
    The U.S. Treasury’s January 15, 2026 press release states that OFAC is designating 18 individuals and entities "who play critical roles in laundering the proceeds" of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical sales "as part of the clandestine ‘shadow banking’ networks" of Bank Melli and Shahr Bank. In the section on Bank Melli’s money-laundering network, the release identifies Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company as the head of Bank Melli’s rahbar (shadow-banking) network, notes that Empire International Trading FZE is Bank Melli’s UAE-based rahbar company, and explains that Empire used Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. as a cover company; it then explicitly states that Nikan Pezhvak Aria Kish Company, Empire International Trading FZE, and Golden Mist PTE. Ltd. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902. OFAC’s official SDN List update for January 15, 2026 lists these three entities as newly added under the Iran sanctions program [IRAN-EO13902]. The verdict is True because official Treasury and OFAC documents directly confirm that OFAC designated these entities on January 15, 2026 as part of action against shadow-banking networks associated with Bank Melli and Shahr Bank.
  3. Original article · Jan 15, 2026
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