US seized Iran oil cargo as Biden considers easing sanctions

…“This seizure serves as a perfect example of why the U.S. should not lift sanctions,” said Claire Jungman, the chief of staff at the New York-based group United Against Nuclear Iran, which closely tracks Iran’s crude shipments. “We should continue to work to ensure that the IRGC cannot use profits from its sale of Iranian oil to fund terrorism and other activities that threaten the safety and security of all Americans.” The long odyssey that led to the U.S.′ seizure began in the fall of 2020 when the M/T Stark I, an Iranian-owned vessel under U.S. sanctions since 2018, repainted its deck in an apparent attempt to disguise the vessel and avoid detection by satellite imagery. On Oct. 31, 2020 it pulled into a terminal at Iran’s Kharg Island and loaded full of oil.