Last Friday, the Justice Department confirmed a significant action by the United States against Iran and, by extension, China. In April, nearly a million barrels of Iranian crude oil allegedly destined for China was seized by U.S. authorities.
The confiscated oil was aboard the tanker Suez Rajan, which was sold by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an organization the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist group. This action marks the first-ever criminal resolution involving the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil, challenging Tehran’s audacity and Beijing’s complicity.
“This is the first-ever criminal resolution involving a company that violated sanctions by facilitating the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil and comes in concert with a successful seizure of over 980,000 barrels of contraband crude oil,” the Justice Department stated. This step manifests the United States’ intent to vigorously enforce sanctions against Iran, an aggressor notorious for funding various forms of extremism.
US Confirms It Seized Nearly 1 Million Barrels Of Iranian Oil Allegedly En Route To China https://t.co/noQjH5Ktnw
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 11, 2023
The vessel’s owner, Suez Rajan Ltd., pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and agreed to a $2.4 million fine plus three years of corporate probation. Greek shipper Empire Navigation, which managed the Suez Rajan, completed the cargo’s transportation to the U.S. at its own expense and pleaded guilty to smuggling sanctioned Iranian crude oil.
Beijing has been a top buyer of Iranian oil for years, often at discounted prices, sidestepping U.S. sanctions in broad daylight. This seizure sends an unambiguous message to China, which seems to ignore international norms with increasing boldness. The prosecution relied on satellite images and documents proving that the oil’s origins were purposefully obscured through ship-to-ship transfers and false documentation.
This is more than just a transactional issue. The U.S. Treasury has made it clear that revenue from Iran’s oil smuggling funds its Quds Force, an elite unit within the IRGC known for operations in the destabilized Middle East. This means that by purchasing Iranian oil, China indirectly supports a network of activities that are harmful to the U.S. and global stability.
Iran didn’t take kindly to this assertive move. Shortly after the seizure, Iranian forces captured two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Despite these provocations, the U.S. Navy condemned Iran’s “continued harassment of vessels” and declared its intention to ensure the safety of commercial interests in the highly contentious Strait of Hormuz.
