U.S. Treasury Sanctions International Network Shipping Iranian Oil to China

The new sanctions target multiple entities across China, India, and the UAE, as well as four vessels: SIRI (formerly ANTHEA), OXIS, CH BILLION, and STAR FOREST.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has unveiled new sanctions targeting an international network facilitating the shipment of Iranian crude oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars to China.

At the center of the scheme is the sanctioned vessel SIRI (formerly ANTHEA), currently operating off Singapore’s coast carrying millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil. The vessel, under the command of Iranian national Arash Lavian, has been actively concealing its identity by operating under the name NEW PRIME and falsifying shipping documents.

The network extends beyond single vessel operations. In December 2024, nearly two million barrels of Iranian heavy crude oil, valued at over $100 million, were shipped aboard the Cameroon-flagged OXIS. Additionally, the Panama-flagged GIOIOSA transported over 700,000 barrels of Iranian oil to China.

“The Iranian regime remains focused on leveraging its oil revenues to fund the development of its nuclear program, to produce its deadly ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, and to support its regional terrorist proxy groups,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The sanctions target multiple entities across China, India, and the UAE. Notable among these is India-based Marshal Ship Management Private Limited, which provided crew members for several sanctioned vessels and allegedly assisted in falsifying shipping documents.

The investigation revealed a sophisticated operation involving multiple vessels and companies. The CH BILLION and STAR FOREST, recently designated as blocked property, have been actively involved in transporting Iranian oil. According to the OFAC, in August 2024, the CH BILLION received over 600,000 barrels of Iranian crude oil through a ship-to-ship transfer, while the STAR FOREST has transported more than $100 million worth of oil to China.

The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. strategy implementing maximum economic pressure on Iran, aligned with a February 4 National Security Presidential Memorandum restoring President Trump’s “maximum pressure”, which is aimed at denying paths to nuclear weapons and countering Iran’s regional influence. However, these latest actions also follow a pattern of similar actions taken against Iran’s oil and gas sectors by the previous Biden Administration, which had ramped up following an Iran ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1.

Under these sanctions, all property and interests of designated persons within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. The measures also prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions involving the designated entities and vessels.

This enforcement action highlights the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between international regulators and maritime operators attempting to circumvent sanctions through complex networks of front companies, vessel name changes, and falsified documentation.

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