US Freezes $131M in Crypto Linked to Iran

The United States government has frozen $131 million in crypto assets connected to the Central Bank of Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the move, stating the Treasury Department is actively working to disrupt illegal financial channels used by the Iranian regime.

Blockchain data shows that stablecoin issuer Tether locked four wallets on the TRON network to comply with these sanctions. These funds reportedly moved through various service providers before being flagged for their connection to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Central Bank.

This enforcement arrives as military activity in the region grows more intense. The United States has reimposed naval blockades, while Iran has targeted military bases in neighboring countries. These actions are part of a broader push by US authorities to use financial pressure to influence Tehran.

This is not the first time Tether has assisted with such requests. Earlier this year, the company froze over $344 million in USDT. US officials have also specifically targeted several Iranian crypto exchanges recently, accusing them of helping the country move money to avoid international restrictions.