US disrupts illicit multi-million-dollar oil shipment by Iran’s IRGC

• Alaina
• . September 9, 2023
• . Update: September 9, 2023 5:48 pm
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The United States announced on Friday the disruption of an illicit multi-million-dollar shipment of crude oil by IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the seizure of more than 980,000 barrels of contraband crude oil.

The United States Department of Justice, also known as the Justice Department, announced that the US officials disrupted the shipment of the crude oil that was bound for another country as it violated the US sanctions.

The Justice Department said in a statement, “This is the first-ever criminal resolution involving a company that violated sanctions by facilitating the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil.”

Reportedly, the US disrupted the shipment of oil in April. The US officials confiscated cargo onboard tanker Suez Rajan, which was carrying Iranian crude oil at sea. Suez Rajan Limited was also slapped with a nearly $2.5 million fine for violating the US sanctions.

A US District Court issued a seizure warrant against tanker Suez Rajan. The Suez Rajan Ltd company was also sentenced to three years of corporate probation, according to legal documents. 

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The Justice Department also said that Empire Navigation of Greece violated US sanctions by shipping a cargo of Iranian crude oil to tanker Suez Rajan. Subsequently, Empire Navigation agreed to transport the Iranian oil to the United States. Mark Wallace, the chief executive of U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, lauded Greece’s Empire Navigation for its cooperation with US authorities. 

The U.S. statement on Friday confirmed April’s incident. The U.S. said that the “illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil” violated sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In July, Iran seized two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian officials also opened fire on one of them. The U.S. said that the Iranian naval vessels backed off when the USS McFaul, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the US Navy, arrived on the spot. 

Previously, an oil tanker, managed by US oil company Chevron, was also blocked by Iranian navy vessels, creating rift between the US and Iran.