The US on Tuesday announced fresh sanctions on Iranian oil sales to China, as president Donald Trump’s administration continues its &ldquo;maximum pressure&rdquo; campaign against Tehran. The US Treasury said that it is sanctioning nearly two dozen firms that it alleges facilitate Iran’s international oil trade. Sanctioned entities include so-called front companies based in China and Hong Kong. The Treasury also targeted a VLCC called <em>Balu </em>and an LR1 product tanker called <em>Roc</em>, which officials accused of being used by Sepehr Energy official Elyas Niroomand Toomaj, who was previously sanctioned to facilitate shipments of Iranian oil to China.&ldquo;Today’s action underscores our continued focus on intensifying pressure on every aspect of Iran’s oil trade, which the regime uses to fund its dangerous and destabilising activities,&rdquo; said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. &ldquo;The United States will continue targeting this primary source of revenue, so long as the regime continues its support for terrorism and proliferation of deadly weapons.&rdquo;The sanctions follow similar designations in recent weeks, at the same time as Washington and Tehran have stepped up nuclear talks.