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Sanctioned tankers disguised as Iraqi vessels are shifting a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars} in Iranian crude as President Donald Trump doubled down on the port blockade to squeeze Tehran’s oil lifeline, based on maritime intelligence.
Windward AI claimed Wednesday {that a} group of U.S.-sanctioned tankers are falsifying their location knowledge to return off as anchored off Iraq whereas secretly loading Iranian oil at Iranian ports.
“Among the many tankers spoofing their location within the space recognized by Windward are 4 VLCCs: Alicia (IMO 9281695), RHN (IMO 9208215), Star Forest (9237632), and Aqua (IMO 9248473), utilizing varied flags, together with fraudulent registries from Curacao and Malawi,” the agency informed Fox Information Digital.
“For the 4 VLCCs, every VLCC can maintain about 2 million barrels, so 4 of them would maintain 8 million barrels, value about $800 million at $100 per barrel,” Windward mentioned.
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A cargo ship sails within the Persian Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Picture)
This got here as Trump mentioned Wednesday he’ll hold Iran underneath a naval blockade till it agrees to a deal addressing U.S. considerations about its nuclear program.
The U.S. administration has demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment program, whereas Tehran maintains that enrichment is a sovereign proper and nonnegotiable, leaving little room for compromise.
Windward AI famous a “cluster” sanctioned tankers spoofing areas and sighted to the West of the Strait of Hormuz.
“A cluster of 10 Iran-trading, U.S.-sanctioned tankers is now spoofing its AIS location to falsely seem at anchorages off Basrah, Iraq, because the blockade continues to constrict Iranian ports,” Windward defined.
“The vessels recognized by Windward Multi-Supply Intelligence are manipulating their alerts to create a digital alibi,” the intelligence agency claimed.
“By broadcasting pretend vacation spot messages to Iraqi ports, the tankers seem like in Iraqi waters whereas covertly crusing to Iran to load sanctioned oil.
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“As soon as loaded, the vessels re-emerge on AIS to counsel a official Iraqi origin for the cargo.”
The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports began April 13 as a part of a broader effort to stress Iran into renegotiating limits on its nuclear program.
The blockade has unfolded in phases, beginning with naval deployments and restricted maritime enforcement to restrict Iran’s oil exports and financial exercise.
Windward mentioned greater than two dozen tankers are at present confined west of Hormuz as of Wednesday, with the blockade cutting Iranian oil loadings and exports by greater than half.
“This misleading apply is underneath intensified scrutiny because the vessels are half of a bigger group of greater than two dozen tankers at present confined west of Hormuz,” the agency mentioned.
“The handysize tanker Paola and Lengthy Vary One tanker Adena, each signaling ‘Iraqi proprietor’ however linked to a sanctioned network.”
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Former President Donald Trump weighs a possible assault on Iran’s oil hub at Kharg Island amid professional predictions of market chaos. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)
The agency claimed three medium-range tankers, together with Aqualis, Kush and Charminar, and the LPG service Royal H (IMO 9155341), which was newly sanctioned in February, are at present displaying “erratic voyage trails to counsel a loading on the Iraqi port of Khor Al Zubair.”
“The tell-tale spoofing indicators, together with erratic patterns and faux port alerts, spotlight the shifting techniques utilized by the dark fleet because the blockade greater than halves Iranian oil loadings and exports,” the agency mentioned.
In the meantime. Iran’s Mohammad Ghalibaf slammed U.S. policymakers Wednesday, together with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, over the impact of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
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The parliamentary speaker cited “junk recommendation” and blamed the Treasury for pushing up oil costs.
“Three days in, no nicely exploded,” Ghalibaf mentioned in a submit shared on X.
