Headline: Sanctioned Tankers Disguise as Iraqi Vessels to Transport Iranian Oil Amid U.S. Blockade
Sanctioned tankers pretending to be Iraqi ships are reportedly moving Iranian crude oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as U.S. President Donald Trump maintains a naval blockade aimed at cutting off Iran’s oil supply, according to maritime intelligence.
A report from Windward AI reveals that a group of sanctioned tankers is falsifying their location to appear as if they are anchored off the coast of Iraq while they secretly load oil in Iranian ports.
The report identifies four Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs)—Alicia, RHN, Star Forest, and Aqua—among those disguising their locations. Each of these tankers can hold around 2 million barrels of oil, which collectively could amount to approximately $800 million at current prices.
On Wednesday, Trump reaffirmed that the blockade will remain in place until Iran agrees to negotiations regarding its nuclear program. The U.S. has demanded that Iran halt its uranium enrichment, while Iran considers its enrichment activities a sovereign right, making compromise challenging.
Windward AI has observed a “cluster” of sanctioned tankers manipulating their signals to make it seem as if they are off the Basrah coastline while they are actually loading oil from Iran. This deception includes broadcasting fake messages to suggest that they are heading to Iraqi ports, thereby creating a false narrative about the origins of their cargo.
The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began on April 13, part of a wider effort to push Iran into renegotiating its nuclear program limits. The measures have been implemented gradually, starting with naval deployments to restrict Iran’s oil exports significantly.
Currently, more than two dozen tankers are trapped west of the Strait of Hormuz due to the blockade, which has effectively reduced Iranian oil exports by more than half. Windward noted the deceptive tactics used by these tankers are under increased scrutiny as the ships attempt to disguise their activities amid tighter restrictions.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Mohammad Ghalibaf criticized U.S. officials for the consequences of the blockade, blaming them for rising oil prices and calling their advice “junk.”
In the midst of this ongoing situation, the maneuvering of these sanctions-evading tankers underscores the ongoing challenges in curbing Iranian oil exports amid geopolitical tensions.
