US Sanctions Nine Ships Linked to Iran’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ Over Protest Crackdown

The United States has imposed new sanctions on nine vessels and eight companies linked to Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet,” intensifying pressure on Tehran following deadly crackdowns on recent protests.
In a statement on Friday, the US Treasury Department said the targeted ships and their owning or managing entities — including firms based in India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — were collectively responsible for transporting hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and petroleum products to foreign markets.
According to the Treasury, revenue generated from these illicit oil shipments, which should benefit the Iranian people, is instead being diverted to fund Iran’s regional militant activities, weapons development programs and security forces.
“These new sanctions strike at a critical source of funding for the Iranian government’s repressive conduct,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He added that the department would continue monitoring efforts to move “hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen funds” through foreign banks.
Among the sanctioned vessels are Palau-flagged Sea Bird, Al Diyab-2 and Caesarea, as well as Comoros-flagged Avon and Chiron-5.
The term “shadow fleet” generally refers to aging tankers used to transport sanctioned oil while concealing ownership and operational details. Such vessels often operate without adequate insurance coverage and fail to meet international safety standards, making them unacceptable to major oil companies and many global ports.
The move signals Washington’s determination to tighten enforcement against Iran’s oil trade networks and cut off financial lifelines supporting what it calls Tehran’s destabilizing regional and domestic policies.