Iran’s $800M oil smuggling scheme uses tankers posing as Iraqi ships to dodge blockade

Sanctioned tankers disguised arsenic Iraqi vessels are moving hundreds of millions of dollars successful Iranian crude arsenic President Donald Trump doubled down connected the larboard blockade to compression Tehran’s lipid lifeline, according to maritime intelligence.

Windward AI claimed Wednesday that a radical of U.S.-sanctioned tankers are falsifying their determination information to travel disconnected arsenic anchored disconnected Iraq portion secretly loading Iranian lipid astatine Iranian ports.

"Among the tankers spoofing their determination successful the country identified by Windward are 4 VLCCs: Alicia (IMO 9281695), RHN (IMO 9208215), Star Forest (9237632), and Aqua (IMO 9248473), utilizing assorted flags, including fraudulent registries from Curacao and Malawi," the steadfast told Fox News Digital.

"For the 4 VLCCs, each VLCC tin clasp astir 2 cardinal barrels, truthful 4 of them would clasp 8 cardinal barrels, worthy astir $800 cardinal astatine $100 per barrel," Windward said.

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A cargo vessel sails successful the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz connected April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

This came arsenic Trump said Wednesday helium volition support Iran nether a naval blockade until it agrees to a woody addressing U.S. concerns astir its atomic program.

The U.S. medication has demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment program, portion Tehran maintains that enrichment is simply a sovereign close and nonnegotiable, leaving small country for compromise.

Windward AI noted a "cluster" sanctioned tankers spoofing locations and sighted to the West of the Strait of Hormuz.

"A clump of 10 Iran-trading, U.S.-sanctioned tankers is present spoofing its AIS determination to falsely look astatine anchorages disconnected Basrah, Iraq, arsenic the blockade continues to constrict Iranian ports," Windward explained.

"The vessels identified by Windward Multi-Source Intelligence are manipulating their signals to make a integer alibi," the quality steadfast claimed.

"By broadcasting fake destination messages to Iraqi ports, the tankers look to beryllium successful Iraqi waters portion covertly sailing to Iran to load sanctioned oil.

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"Once loaded, the vessels re-emerge connected AIS to suggest a morganatic Iraqi root for the cargo."

The U.S. blockade connected Iranian ports began April 13 arsenic portion of a broader effort to unit Iran into renegotiating limits connected its atomic program.

The blockade has unfolded successful stages, starting with naval deployments and restricted maritime enforcement to bounds Iran’s lipid exports and economical activity.

Windward said much than 2 twelve tankers are presently confined westbound of Hormuz arsenic of Wednesday, with the blockade cutting Iranian lipid loadings and exports by much than half.

"This deceptive signifier is nether intensified scrutiny arsenic the vessels are portion of a larger radical of much than 2 twelve tankers presently confined westbound of Hormuz," the steadfast said.

"The handysize tanker Paola and Long Range One tanker Adena, some signaling ‘Iraqi owner’ but linked to a sanctioned network."

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Former President Donald Trump weighs a imaginable onslaught connected Iran's lipid hub astatine Kharg Island amid adept predictions of marketplace chaos. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)

The steadfast claimed 3 medium-range tankers, including Aqualis, Kush and Charminar, and the LPG bearer Royal H (IMO 9155341), which was recently sanctioned successful February, are presently displaying "erratic voyage trails to suggest a loading astatine the Iraqi larboard of Khor Al Zubair."

"The tell-tale spoofing signs, including erratic patterns and fake larboard signals, item the shifting tactics utilized by the acheronian fleet arsenic the blockade much than halves Iranian lipid loadings and exports," the steadfast said.

Meanwhile. Iran’s Mohammad Ghalibaf slammed U.S. policymakers Wednesday, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, implicit the interaction of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

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The parliamentary talker cited "junk advice" and blamed the Treasury for pushing up lipid prices.

"Three days in, nary good exploded," Ghalibaf said successful a station shared connected X.