Washington’s Sanctions Raid on the Heart of the Shadow Fleet
Washington’s Sanctions Raid on the Heart of the Shadow Fleet
Saeed Aganji, editor-in-chief of IranGate News Agency and a well-known journalist in the field of economic corruption and systematic networks of sanctions evasion, in his latest analytical report, unveiled new dimensions imposed by the United States. Sanctions targeting dozens of companies, individuals, and ships associated with Iran’s hidden oil trade mechanisms and logistics networks, which according to Washington, are part of efforts to restrict financial flows supporting Tehran’s regional activities.
New Round of U.S. Sanctions Against Networks Linked to Iran
In their latest move, the U.S. Department of Treasury and Department of State have added more than fifty individuals, entities, and ships to the list of Iran-related sanctions.
Among these individuals and entities is the name of Yazd Airlines, which Washington claims has played a role in selling Iranian oil and transferring weapons to Tehran-supported groups.
This action is assessed as part of a broader U.S. policy to restrict Iran’s financial and logistical networks.
According to the U.S. State Department’s statement, 17 individuals, entities, and ships located in several countries including India, Panama, and Seychelles have been sanctioned for participating in the sale of Iranian oil and petroleum products.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Treasury Department also announced that a number of individuals, 20 companies, 10 ships, and 7 airplanes are being sanctioned to disrupt financial and commercial flows supporting Iran’s destructive activities.
The sanctioned airplanes mostly belong to Yazd International Airlines, which Washington considers a subsidiary of Mahan Air.
Reaction and Explanation from Yazd Airlines
Immediately after the sanctions were announced, Yazd Airlines’ public relations issued a statement reacting to the current situation. The statement declared that due to a lack of initial capital, the company has been forced to rely heavily on bank facilities since its inception, making it difficult to build independent infrastructure.
Therefore, operational support through collaboration with Mahan Air, in accordance with technical laws and standards, has been deemed necessary.
The company’s statement also emphasizes that despite financial pressures, all bank installments have been paid on time, and limited but acceptable development in infrastructure has taken place. It concludes with a promise to use all efforts to return Yazd Air to the skies.
The International Scope of Sanctions and New U.S. Requirements
Other sanctioned entities and companies are located in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Singapore, Germany, Panama, and India, indicating that the U.S. is focusing not only on Iranian actors but also on multinational networks connected to Iran’s energy exports.
The U.S. Treasury Department has announced that after the recent 12-day war, Iranian military forces have become more reliant on crude oil sales to complete their budget and rebuild their capabilities.
The new actions are also aimed at countering Iran’s shadow fleet, which the U.S. claims is designed to transport Iranian oil using methods that make tracking difficult.
According to the Treasury Department’s statement, over 170 ships responsible for transporting Iranian oil and petroleum products have been sanctioned, resulting in increased operational costs for Iran’s exports and reduced revenue from each barrel of oil sold.
Increase in Iranian Oil Exports and China’s Reaction
These sanctions are being imposed while recent reports indicate that Iranian oil exports, mainly to China, have reached their highest level since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.
China, the world’s largest oil importer, supplies a significant portion of its imported crude oil from Iran, with estimates placing Iran’s share of these imports between 10 and 15 percent, a figure some sources like Reuters estimate at around 13.6 percent.
Beijing had previously publicly protested against U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies dealing with Iran. China’s protest specifically targeted the sanctioning of an oil terminal in Rizhao and a private refinery in Shanxi Province, which the U.S. accuses of purchasing millions of barrels of Iranian oil since 2023.
The Legal Framework of Sanctions and the Return of the Snapback Mechanism
The new actions by the U.S. government are part of a wave of sanctions that have been imposed following the activation of the snapback mechanism and the return of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran. With the re-implementation of these sanctions, all six Security Council resolutions passed against Iran between 2006 and 2010 have been reinstated.
These resolutions, which were suspended following the JCPOA agreement in 2015, have now reinstated broad restrictions.
Countries such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Turkey, and several others have also announced that they will implement UN sanctions. The return of these sanctions has had significant economic consequences in Iran, including a sharp rise in exchange rates.
Regional and International Actors’ Reactions
Iran, Russia, and China have repeatedly stated that they do not recognize the return of UN Security Council sanctions and consider them to lack a legal basis. From these countries’ perspective, the snapback mechanism lacks validity for activation after the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.
In contrast, Washington and its allies argue that the JCPOA mechanisms allow the U.S. to continue participating in oversight processes even if it has withdrawn from the agreement.
