Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Bitcoin Transferred to IRGC, US Treasury Sanctions Iranian Exchange BitBank

Odaily News: The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against Tehran-based crypto exchange BitBank, alleging that the platform transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to OFAC, BitBank is controlled by Iranian financier Babak Zanjani, who was designated in January of this year, and who used the platform to complete transfers between June and July. The designation was made pursuant to Executive Order 13902. The sanctions also cover three executives of BitBank's software developer Pishtaz Simorgh and its parent company Dot One. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that using cryptocurrency to finance the Iranian regime does not fall outside OFAC's jurisdiction. OFAC also alleged that Hormuz Safe, a Tehran-based institution that sells safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, has been transferring payments it received through BitBank since June; the institution was sanctioned in July. OFAC did not disclose the relevant wallet addresses.