Key Facts

• Ali Maarij al-Bahadly is Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister and was sanctioned for helping Iran sell oil against US sanctions.
• The sanctions also target leaders of pro-Iran militia groups Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.
• The US accuses Iran of disguising its oil as Iraqi to bypass sanctions.
• US officials claim Iraqi government corruption helped these smuggling operations continue.
• Iran uses oil smuggling to earn about $1 billion yearly and avoid restrictions on its banking system.
• President Donald Trump warned Iraq against having pro-Iran leaders in power earlier in 2024.
• The sanctions come amid tensions between the US and Iran over control of a key oil passage called the Strait of Hormuz.
• The sanctions are part of the US "maximum pressure" campaign that started with Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.