Russian payment platform A7 is sanctioned by the United States and denies cooperation with Iran

The Russian A7 payment platform was criticized by Washington for helping Iran circumvent US President Trump's "Operation Economic Outcast" sanctions. On the 2nd, it issued a statement denying any connection with Iran.

A7 said in a statement that the company categorically denies any accusations of cooperation with Iran or terrorist organizations; A7 provides "uninterrupted payment settlement" for "the Russian market subject to illegal restrictions" and services "involving the legal import and export of consumer goods and bulk commodities."

But according to the U.S. Treasury Department, A7 has established a global network of affiliated companies to "disguise payments related to sanctioned industries and individuals as ordinary commercial activities." This network is also used by Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In late August this year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the official launch of Operation Economic Exile, which will kick out any entity that assists money laundering activities on behalf of Iran from the U.S. dollar. This will cut off all other options for the Iranian regime and increase economic pressure on the Tehran authorities to end the war in the Middle East.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on the 1st that it would prohibit any transactions with A7 and its sub-agencies, calling the company a "major transnational criminal organization" and extending previously imposed sanctions to the entire network.

A7 was established in 2024 by the "Russian State Commercial Bank" (PSB), which focuses on the defense field, and has become the leader in Russia's cross-border payment market. In response to Western sanctions, Russia has sought to establish alternative payment systems covering cryptocurrencies, gold and non-Western currencies with major trading partners such as China and India.