US Strikes Near Tabriz as Crypto Sanctions Tighten on Iran

The US military has expanded its reach in Iran by striking near Tabriz, the country's fourth-largest city. This marks an escalation of the conflict, with the strikes targeting military installations, transport infrastructure, and a petrochemical facility.

The financial war on Iran is also intensifying, with the US Treasury Department sanctioning Nobitex, the country's largest crypto exchange, for allegedly facilitating transactions tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The sanctions come as hackers have previously exploited vulnerabilities in Iranian entities' use of digital assets. In June 2025, $90 million was stolen from Nobitex in a breach that targeted wallets holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, and TRON.