On Sunday, ship tracking data indicated that an American-owned large oil tanker, under strong suspicion of transporting sanctioned crude oil from Iran, unloaded the cargo near Texas. This action took place despite threats from Tehran to target shipping in the Persian Gulf waters due to this situation.

 

The analysis conducted by The Associated Press utilized ship-tracking data to reveal that the vessel named Suez Rajan, flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, initiated a ship-to-ship oil transfer lasting several hours. This transfer occurred with another tanker, the MR Euphrates, in proximity to Galveston, situated approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Houston.

 

The ongoing tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic have cast a shadow over the fate of the cargo aboard the Suez Rajan. These tensions coincide with efforts by Washington and Tehran to negotiate the exchange of frozen Iranian assets, amounting to billions of dollars, held in South Korea. This exchange aims to secure the release of five Iranian-American individuals who have been detained in Tehran.

 

Over the years, Iran has persistently sought ways to bypass sanctions and continues its sales of the oil onboard the vessel. In contrast, since 2019, the US and its allies have been seizing cargoes following the collapse of the trade facilitated by the nation's nuclear deal.