Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025

The bill would authorize the President to impose two categories of sanctions on foreign persons who knowingly engage in significant transactions related to the processing, refining, export, or sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products: blocking all U.S.-jurisdiction property and interests of the sanctioned person, and barring the person from entering the United States (revoking existing visas immediately). Sanctions would extend automatically to subsidiaries and corporate officers of a sanctioned entity, and to immediate family members who demonstrably benefit from the prohibited activity. The President would be required to issue implementing regulations within 60 days of enactment and could waive sanctions for up to 180-day renewable periods upon certifying national-interest necessity to Congress. The bill also amends the Rewards for Justice Program to authorize payments for information identifying sanctions violators or evaders.

The bill excepts humanitarian transactions, authorized intelligence and law enforcement activities, compliance with U.S. international obligations (including the UN Headquarters Agreement), and provisions supplied to vessels for crew safety. Sanctions authority under the bill would terminate 30 days after the President certifies that Iran has stopped supporting terrorism and has verifiably dismantled its nuclear, biological, chemical, and ballistic-missile programs.

Foreign companies, banks, shipping firms, and individuals worldwide — including Chinese, Indian, and other major oil importers' state and private entities — that buy, transport, process, or sell Iranian petroleum or petrochemical products. Their corporate subsidiaries, senior officers, and family members who benefit from the activity would also be directly targeted, as would persons transacting with already-sanctioned entities under the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act.

Foreign entities trading in Iranian oil would face U.S. asset freezes and visa bans — effectively cutting them off from the U.S. financial system. The extension of sanctions to officers and family members creates personal liability pressure on corporate structures that might otherwise shield principal actors. Rewards payments could generate new leads on sanctions evasion networks, and the 60-day regulation deadline would force rapid implementation.

The President would implement sanctions using existing authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and must publish regulations or guidance within 60 days of enactment. Each sanction determination is presidential, with waivers available for up to 180 days at a time; renewal requires a phase-out plan submitted to Congress. The State Department would administer Rewards for Justice payments to informants. Penalties for violations mirror those in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Sanctions would lapse if the President makes a two-part certification to Congress that Iran has ended terrorism support and dismantled WMDs.