John K. Hurley

Stories

Treasury targets 29 Iran “shadow fleet” ships, turning tanker logistics into a sanctions minefield

Leading Treasury’s sanctions and illicit-finance pressure campaign on Iran

Treasury's December 2025 designation of 29 tankers fed into a war. The U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, and a June 17 memorandum signed at the G7 briefly reopened Iran's oil trade under General License X. That relief died on July 17, when the license's wind-down expired after IRGC attacks on three tankers.

Updated 6 days ago

Treasury sanctions chief exits amid policy rift

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Resigned February 25, 2026; potential ambassadorship discussions ongoing

John Hurley served eight months as the Treasury Department's chief sanctions enforcer before resigning amid friction with Secretary Scott Bessent. His February 25 departure followed months of internal clashes over sanctions aggressiveness and a specific dispute regarding federal surveillance of financial transactions involving Minnesota's Somali community, to which Hurley objected on data-privacy grounds.

Updated May 29

Notable Quotes

"The United States will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," John K. Hurley said.

from Treasury targets 29 Iran “shadow fleet” ships, turning tanker logistics into a sanctions minefield · Updated 6 days ago

"I believe in coordinating sanctions with allies and partners both to signal international resolve and solidarity and reduce opportunities for threat actors to evade them." — Written testimony to Senate Banking Committee, April 2025

from Treasury sanctions chief exits amid policy rift · Updated May 29

"Subjecting the finances of Somali residents to enhanced monitoring would raise data-privacy issues." — Privately to Secretary Bessent, prior to surveillance implementation (per sources)

from Treasury sanctions chief exits amid policy rift · Updated May 29