US Government Seizes Iranian Crude Oil Bound for China
The US government has seized nearly 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil that was allegedly bound for China, according to court documents and a statement released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday. This marks the first-ever criminal resolution involving a company violating sanctions by facilitating the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil, as stated by the DOJ.
The oil in question was allegedly shipped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a US-designated foreign terrorist organization. The press release from the DOJ claims that over 980,000 barrels of oil were involved in the scheme. Court documents also reveal that multiple entities affiliated with the IRGC and the IRGC-Qods Force were involved in disguising the origin of the oil and illegally selling it to China.
The DOJ further stated that the profits from these oil sales support the IRGC’s illicit activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and support for terrorism. The court filings allege that the IRGC’s activities also extend to both domestic and international human rights abuses.
In April, the company operating the ship carrying the oil, Empire Navigation, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The company was fined nearly $2.5 million and sentenced to three years of corporate probation. The vessel involved in the operation, Suez Rajan Limited, transported the contraband to the US and incurred significant expenses associated with the voyage, according to the DOJ.
CNN has reached out to Empire Navigation for comment on the matter.
This seizure of Iranian crude oil highlights the US government’s continued efforts to enforce sanctions and prevent the illicit activities of entities like the IRGC. It serves as a warning to those who seek to violate these sanctions and engage in illegal trade, sending a message that such actions will not go unpunished.