Daily SumUp

The United States on Thursday sanctioned a China-based oil refinery that purchased Iranian oil worth around $500 million from Huthi-linked ships, as the White House ramps up pressure on Iran.

In a statement, the US Treasury Department announced it was sanctioning a "teapot refinery" based in China's Shandong province which bought Iranian oil worth "approximately half a billion dollars."

Teapot refineries are small, privately-owned operations in China, and stand in contrast to the larger state-owned enterprises in the country. 

Since returning to office, US President Donald Trump reinstated a campaign of "maximum pressure" against Iran, and has already rolled out sanctions against several individuals and entities, including the country's oil minister.

The oil in question was transported by Iran's so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers, according to the Treasury Department, including from ships linked to the Huthis, and to the Iranian ministry of defense of armed forces logistics, MODAFL.