WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a bipartisan move, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have spearheaded an effort to curb alleged Iranian oil exports in violation of U.S. sanctions. They, along with 20 of their colleagues from both sides of the aisle, have penned a letter to the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), urging a thorough investigation into the 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels suspected of transporting Iranian oil.
The U.S. imposed crippling sanctions on Iranian oil in 2018, which were expanded in 2019 and 2020, aiming to sever a substantial source of revenue that the country allegedly uses to fund terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, engage in cartel activity, promote nuclear proliferation, and perpetrate other destabilizing activities in the Middle East and Western Hemisphere.
The Senators’ letter paints a grim picture of Iran’s actions: “From supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, to backing the brutal Syrian regime, to accelerating its nuclear, drone, and ballistic missile programs, to killing hundreds and arresting thousands of its own people in violent crackdowns on domestic protests, Iran consistently works in opposition to peace, stability, democracy, and shared American values and interests across the Middle East.”
According to the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), Iran has found a way around these sanctions through “ghost fleets” – vessels registered under the flags of other nations. UANI’s open-source data indicates that 49% of these vessels bear the Panamanian flag.
The Senators’ letter underscores the gravity of the situation, stating, “Thanks to the ghost fleet, Iran has been able to export hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil in recent years, which ultimately fund the regime’s continued human rights violations, proxy forces, and nuclear proliferation program.”
They argue that Panama, compared to other countries, has been less diligent in investigating and de-flagging vessels of concern based on UANI’s notifications. A more vigorous effort from Panama could significantly reduce the number of vessels transporting Iranian oil, thereby limiting Iran’s revenue.
The letter is part of a broader push by Senators Rubio and Casey, who have introduced and co-sponsored the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, aiming to impose sanctions on those purchasing Iranian oil.
The Iran-U.S. relations have been fraught with tension since the 1979 Iranian revolution. The current sanctions are part of an ongoing strategy to curtail Iran’s power in the Middle East and its alleged support for terrorism. However, these sanctions have also sparked a debate about their impact on ordinary Iranians and their effectiveness in changing Iran’s behavior. As this story unfolds, it adds another chapter to the complex narrative of Iran-U.S. relations and the international community’s response to sanctions enforcement.
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