Iran's Shadow Oil Trade Continues Despite US Sanctions

The Iranian oil trade is operating in the shadows due to US sanctions, but it's not disappearing, it's just changing its route and identity.

A network linked to the trade uses ship-to-ship transfers, vessel identification changes, document forgery, and manipulation of Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals to conceal the origin of shipments.

The US Treasury Department describes this system as part of Iran's 'shadow fleet,' which relies on a constantly shifting network of tankers.

According to Reuters, 34 vessels involved in network-related activities were linked to 92 owning or operating companies, making it difficult to identify the true beneficial owner.