The U.S. Dealt An Unexpected Blow To Moscow's Finances

• 15.09.2026, 8:51

Sanctions have been imposed on Russia's second-largest bank.

The United States has added VTB, the second-largest bank in the Russian Federation, to its sanctions list regarding Iran. Washington accused the Russian bank of helping to circumvent restrictions against Tehran.

This is stated in a statement from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

VTB is already subject to U.S. sanctions for its activities in the Russian financial sector. The new decision is related to possible assistance in circumventing sanctions against Iran.

According to the Russian publication *Kommersant*, U.S. authorities will now evaluate VTB’s transactions with regard to potential circumvention of Iranian restrictions.

In doing so, attention will be paid not only to the formal owner or intermediary in a transaction, but also to whoever actually controls the assets and benefits from them.