Iranian Tankers Used Forged Iraqi Documents to Evade US Sanctions

Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani reported that several Iranian oil tankers recently intercepted by U.S. forces in the Gulf were using forged Iraqi documents to evade international sanctions. This revelation underscores the complexities of oil trade in the Gulf and the challenges of enforcing sanctions, particularly as the U.S. administration reinstates its 'maximum pressure' strategy aimed at isolating Iran economically and curtailing its nuclear development. While Iraq has received verbal inquiries from the U.S. regarding the situation, Abdel-Ghani emphasized that there has been no formal communication about potential sanctions against Iraq's State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO). He clarified that SOMO only sells oil to companies that own refineries and is not involved in the illicit activities of traders exploiting fake documentation. The ongoing issue reflects Iraq's delicate position of balancing relations with both the U.S. and Iran amidst heightened geopolitical tensions in the region. Experts suggest that a sophisticated smuggling network has thrived in Iraq, contributing significantly to Iran's economic resilience despite sanctions.