US Sanctions China Refinery, 40 Shippers Over Iranian Oil

The U.S. Navy interdicted an Iranian-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on April 23, 2026, a move that escalates ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran over oil shipments. The Pentagon announced that U.S. forces boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility [9, 7]. This action is the latest in a series of U.S. efforts to intercept Iranian oil shipments, following previous interdictions near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka in April 2026 ^[2].

President Donald Trump, speaking on April 23, 2026, declared that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill any boat" laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz [1, 7]. Trump also claimed to have rejected an Iranian offer to reopen the vital waterway three days prior, stating, "it will open when we make a deal" ^[1]. The President had also announced a U.S. naval blockade the previous week, vowing to intercept any ships attempting to leave or enter Iranian ports.

Adding to the pressure, the Treasury Department sent a letter to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, warning them of secondary sanctions for engaging in business with Iran ^[8]. This broadens previous U.S. efforts to curb Iran's oil revenue, which have included sanctions on vessels and entities transporting Iranian oil since February 2026.

Amidst these escalating geopolitical maneuvers, the fate of Manus, a Chinese artificial intelligence company, has become entangled. The company's founders, CEO Xiao Hong and chief scientist Ji Yichao, were summoned to Beijing for regulatory meetings in March 2026 and have since been prohibited from leaving China ^[5]. Despite this, work at Meta's Singapore location, where former Manus employees have reportedly been embedded, has continued ^[5]. Manus had previously moved its office from Beijing to Singapore in July 2025, and its backers, including Tencent and Hongshan Capital, had already received their share of a deal before the founders' travel restrictions were imposed ^[3].

Separately, the U.S. Department of Defence confirmed its involvement in the maritime interdiction of the M/T Majestic X ^[1]. The Iranian-flagged tanker Sevin was also intercepted off Malaysia's coast, reportedly carrying 65 percent of its 1 million barrel capacity ^[2]. Meanwhile, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume expressed concerns last month that the ongoing conflict involving Iran could negatively impact sales of Porsche and Audi brands ^[6]. In a separate development, President Trump also criticized comedian Jimmy Kimmel on Truth Social, demanding his immediate dismissal from Disney and ABC ^[8].