The US government announced today that it had seized three websites used by Iran to facilitate oil deals with Venezuela. The decision follows the US interception of Iranian oil tankers bound for Venezuela and increased pressure from Washington on both countries.

The Department of Justice assumed control of the websites for Mobin International, Sohar Fuel and Oman Fuel, which the department called front companies. The companies allegedly facilitated a fuel shipment by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Venezuela, according to a department press release.

Earlier this month, the United States seized more than a million barrels of fuel from Iran that was heading to Venezuela aboard four tankers. The discovery of these companies’ alleged connection to the shipment from Iran to Venezuela followed this maritime seizure, according to the Department of Justice.

The websites now show a Department of Justice notice reading, “This domain has been seized.” Department officials did not immediately respond to Al-Monitor’s request for information on how they came to control the websites. The department said it seized the websites following a warrant from the US District Court for the District of Columbia.