Washington targets tankers carrying Iranian crude oil
The US government has rolled out fresh sanctions to increase pressure on shadow fleet tankers carrying Iranian oil.
IMAGE: Flags of the US and Iran. Getty Images
The US Department of State has sanctioned 14 vessels that are allegedly a part of Iran’s shadow fleet, along with two individuals and 15 other entities “that have traded in Iranian-origin crude oil, petroleum products, or petrochemical products.”
The new sanctions aim to disrupt the shipping and trading networks that have enabled the OPEC nation’s oil exports to continue, despite sanctions enforcement.
The US state department has targeted Barbados-flagged VICSCENE . The vessel has transported Iranian-origin crude oil between March and April 2025.
Panama-flagged vessel, OCEAN GUARDIAN, managed by UAE-based Manarat Alkhaleej Marine Services, loaded petroleum products in Iran, between September and October 2022, the state department said.
Another target, Palau-flagged liquified petroleum gas (LPG) tanker RAYYAN GAS, managed by UAE-based Mphasis Marine Solutions, has transported Iranian-origin ammonia on “at least seven occasions in 2025,” the US state department further claimed.
The US administration has sanctioned eleven more vessels, along with their managers, for facilitating trade of Iranian oil products. The action comes amid tentative talks between the US and Iranian officials in Oman.
Washington alleges that these vessels engage in other obfuscation techniques to hide their activities, like ship-to-ship (STS) transfers after daylight hours, Automated Identification System (AIS) spoofing, and conspicuous gaps in AIS location reporting.
“Iran’s exports of these energy commodities are enabled by a network of illicit shipping facilitators in multiple jurisdictions who, through obfuscation and deception, load and transport Iranian commodities to buyers in third countries,” the state department added.
By assembling a shadow fleet of poorly maintained vessels to circumvent sanctions meant to restrict the movement of Iranian petroleum products, Tehran has effectively generated thousands of dollars in revenue to support regional armed groups.
The move reinforces Washington’s commitment to tightening sanctions on Iran as it strives to bring the OPEC member’s oil exports down to zero, amid country-wide unrest.
By Aparupa Mazumder
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