U.S. Sanctions Target Iran's Oil Trade Shadow Fleet

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran's 'shadow fleet,' focusing on individuals and groups based in India and the UAE that facilitate the transportation of Iranian oil. This includes UAE-based Indian national Jugwinder Singh Brar and his fleet involved in risky ship-to-ship transfers.

The United States has intensified its economic pressure on Iran by introducing a fresh set of sanctions targeting the country's 'shadow fleet,' a network accused of transporting Iranian oil in defiance of international blocks.

At the focal point is Jugwinder Singh Brar, an Indian national residing in the UAE, who owns nearly 30 vessels. These ships have been involved in high-risk, ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian petroleum in key regional waters such as those off Iraq, Iran, the UAE, and the Gulf of Oman.

The sanctions extend to four entities based in the UAE and India, responsible for operating Brar's fleet, which reportedly aids the Iranian military and the National Iranian Oil Company. 'The Iranian regime relies on networks like Brar's to sustain its oil exports and fund destabilizing activities,' stated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

(With inputs from agencies.)