The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (OFAC) has imposed the largest package of sanctions since 2018 against Iran. The fleet of vessels of the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's adviser fell under restrictions. Tankers carry both Iranian and Russian oil.
"As part of the largest Iran-related operation since 2018, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (OFAC) includes more than 50 individuals and legal entities and more than 50 vessels on the sanctions list, which are part of a vast shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani," the US Treasury said.
The department clarified that he is the son of Ali Shamkhani, the chief political adviser to the supreme leader of Iran.
"Its network transports oil and oil products from Iran and Russia, as well as other cargoes to buyers around the world, which brings tens of billions of dollars in profits,"the statement said.
The US Treasury Department believes that Shamkhani companies control a significant part of crude oil exports from Iran. Numerous companies registered from UAE to Great Britain and EU countries — France and Italy, for example.
According to AIS vessels, some of the tankers that have been sanctioned are actually involved in the transportation of Russian oil. Among them is the Eventin, which lost control off the coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea, and was later confiscated by Berlin.