A new investigative report led by Senator Richard Blumenthal states that Tether's USDT plays a central role in Iran's shadow banking network, funding terrorist organizations and evading sanctions. The report analyzed data from 846 Iran-linked crypto wallets, finding that 87% of the 757 wallets involved in Iranian terror financing primarily used USDT. The report also questioned Tether's relationship with the Donald Trump administration, suggesting it may have led to lax enforcement. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino responded that the company has helped freeze $550 million in Iran-linked USDT over the past year and emphasized that public blockchains provide authorities with visibility into fund flows.