US Expands AI Military Capabilities as Sanctions Target Iran’s Oil and Financial Networks

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The United States is accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence into its military operations while simultaneously expanding sanctions targeting Iran’s oil trade and financial infrastructure, reflecting a dual-track strategy to strengthen national security and counter regional threats.

In an announcement on Friday, the U.S. War Department said it has reached agreements with leading technology companies, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Reflection, to deploy advanced AI systems across classified military networks.

Officials said the initiative is part of a broader effort to transform the U.S. military into an “AI-first fighting force,” aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making across combat, intelligence, and administrative domains.

The integration will take place within highly secure environments known as Impact Level 6 and Impact Level 7 networks, enabling faster data analysis, improved situational awareness, and more effective responses in complex operational scenarios.

The department’s GenAI.mil platform is already in widespread use, with more than 1.3 million personnel generating tens of millions of prompts and deploying hundreds of thousands of AI agents within five months. Officials said the technology is significantly reducing the time required for operational tasks, in some cases cutting processes from months to days.

At the same time, Washington announced new measures targeting Iran’s energy and financial sectors as part of its “Economic Fury” campaign.

The U.S. State Department sanctioned multiple entities, including Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., Ltd., a China-based operator accused of facilitating the import of tens of millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil despite existing sanctions.

Officials said the company enabled the flow of billions of dollars to Tehran through complex evasion methods, including ship-to-ship transfers involving sanctioned vessels and deceptive shipping practices.

In parallel, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on three Iranian currency exchange houses, along with affiliated individuals and companies.

According to U.S. authorities, these exchange networks process billions of dollars annually and play a central role in converting Iran’s oil revenues into usable currency for the government and its regional allies.

U.S. officials said the coordinated actions are designed to weaken Iran’s ability to fund military activities, support proxy groups, and develop weapons, while reinforcing American technological leadership in modern warfare.

The administration emphasized that maintaining a strong domestic AI ecosystem is essential to national security, enabling the military to respond to evolving threats with greater speed and precision.