As Iran nuclear deal grows closer, opponents question big tanker impact

…But United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) suggested some of the ships trading carrying Iranian oil have ties back to Iran and would not be scrapped following an end to sanctions. “I don’t think these ships are just going to go away,” said UANI chief of staff Claire Jungman. “Iran had to resort to using these foreign-flagged vessels because their fleet had been sanctioned.” Iranian interests have allegedly used various fronts to acquire ships. In 2020, the US sanctioned and sued two Iranians after purchasing the 150,812-dwt Gulf Sky (built 1998). The ship’s seller, Greece’s Polembros Shipping, told TradeWinds they were under the impression they were dealing with an Omani family and that Iran connections did not show up in their due diligence. The company was cleared of wrongdoing by US authorities. UANI’s research director Dan Roth said the group has taken pledges from companies promising to stay out of Iran, even if sanctions are lifted and that they would call those companies out should they being trading with the country. Further, he said there were medium-term issues of the US potentially withdrawing again “There’s a lot of things for them to consider on a compliance and risk matrix, to be sure,” Roth said.