United Against Nuclear Iran Applauds Israel’s Sanctions on Iran’s Dark Tankers, Urges Global Action

(New York, NY) – United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) applauds the State of Israel for imposing sanctions on 18 tankers involved in the illicit trade of Iranian oil that helps finance the  Iranian regime’s proxy and partner militant groups. This historic move marks Israel’s first-ever shipping sanctions and targets vessels engaged in secretive ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfers in support the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization.

Mark Wallace, CEO of UANI, and Claire Jungman, Director of UANI’s Tanker Tracking program, stated, “The Israeli initiative to seize these vessels underscores the critical need for concerted global efforts to combat the Iranian regime’s  illicit oil trade. This action not only helps to stifle the financial lifeline of terrorist organizations but should also serve as a timely reminder to the international community—as well as the panoply of maritime service providers that grease the wheels of oceanborne commerce—to make renewed, concerted efforts in helping to enforce shipping sanctions and ensure regional stability and security.”

Eight vessels targeted by today’s action are listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada, a list of more than 400 tankers tracked by UANI since 2018 for their involvement in the Iranian regime’s illicit oil trade. Continuous monitoring by UANI has played a crucial role in identifying these deceptive practices and exposing them to global attention. 

Wallace added, “We urge other nations to follow Israel’s lead and implement similar sanctions targeting specific vessels and networks facilitating the Iranian regime’s  oil smuggling operations. We also urge flag registries, classification societies, and insurers to revoke their services immediately to the blacklisted vessels. Such unified actions are essential to dismantle the Iranian regime’s terrorist financial networks.”