US Hits Iran Oil Network With New Round of Maritime Sanctions
The United States has expanded its sanctions campaign against Iran by blacklisting Indian shipowner Jugwinder Singh Brar and a fleet of over two dozen tankers allegedly involved in transporting Iranian oil, ahead of indirect US-Iran talks scheduled this weekend in Oman.
The sanctions—jointly announced by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US State Department—target 29 tankers and one anchor-handling tug totaling approximately 950,000 dwt. OFAC’s list primarily includes handysize tankers, while the State Department’s designations focus on two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), a Chinese petroleum terminal, and three shipping companies.
Brar, an Indian national based in the United Arab Emirates, is accused of orchestrating a complex sanctions evasion network that operates nearly 30 tankers under various corporate entities. According to OFAC, Brar coordinated with known associates of Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal to exploit smaller tankers in smuggling operations around the Persian Gulf and Khor al Zubair, Iraq, helping obscure the Iranian origin of oil cargoes.
The vessels under Brar’s control allegedly manipulated their AIS (automatic identification system), engaged in suspicious ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, and blended Iranian oil with other products to disguise origin. Falsified documents were then used to export these blended cargoes to international destinations. OFAC further alleges that Brar personally profited from these operations and that many of his tankers made frequent port calls in India.
The sanctions affect Brar’s companies including UAE-based Prime Tankers LLC, Glory International FZ-LLC, India-based Global Tankers Pvt Ltd, and B&P Solutions Pvt Ltd, a petrochemical sales firm.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent condemned Brar, calling him an “unscrupulous” actor enabling Iran’s oil exports and financing destabilizing activities. “We remain focused on dismantling every link in the network facilitating Iran’s petroleum trade,” Bessent said.
State Department Targets Larger Actors
In parallel, the US State Department sanctioned two VLCCs—Amor (IMO: 9182291) and Virgo (IMO: 9236250)—and a major oil storage terminal in Zhoushan, China, operated by Guanghsa Zhoushan Energy Group. Amor, the leading Iranian oil carrier in 2024, was reportedly sold for scrap but continued to operate in Iranian trades. Virgo, which transferred Iranian oil to the Suezmax Suez Rajan in 2022, played a central role in a US seizure and subsequent Iranian retaliation.
The Zhoushan terminal is directly connected via undersea pipeline to a nearby teapot refinery. According to US claims, the facility has knowingly accepted Iranian crude, including deliveries from sanctioned vessels such as Snow (IMO: 9569619) and Aventus I (IMO: 9280873).
Also sanctioned were Marziya Shipping (India), Rising Phoenix Provider NV (Suriname)—Virgo’s technical manager and registered owner respectively—and Valiant Marine Ventures FZE (UAE), commercial manager of Amor.
Strategic Implications
This is one of the first OFAC actions to focus heavily on handysize vessels and their role in the Iranian oil smuggling network. According to Claire Jungman, chief of staff at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), the operation reveals the “complexity and patience” of Iran’s maritime trade strategies. It also marks a significant shift in enforcement, spotlighting India-based actors in what has traditionally been a Middle East- and Asia-focused sanctions landscape.
Jungman also noted increased attention to cargo blending practices in ports like Khor al Zubair, where Iranian barrels are mixed with Iraqi-origin product to mask their true source. A recent Lloyd’s List investigation found that over 50% of LPG cargoes declared as Iraqi may in fact be Iranian.
The list of tankers sanctioned includes vessels such as Luanda 1, Global Genesis, Simran, Global Dominance, Global Peak, and Mirage, among others. These vessels meet the definition of “dark fleet” tankers—typically older than 15 years, with opaque ownership structures, and active in sanctioned trades using deceptive practices.
As indirect negotiations resume in Oman, these actions underscore Washington’s continued pursuit of maximum pressure tactics even as diplomatic channels reopen.
