Overview
- U.S. officials announced new sanctions targeting Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal in China, its president Xingchun Li, two vessel managers, and a vessel for facilitating Iran’s petroleum trade.
- Qingdao Haiye was cited for bringing in tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude since early last year, channeling revenue to Tehran through offshore transfers and opaque deals.
- The State Department said ships run by UK-based Thriving Times International and Hong Kong-based Onboard Ship Management used “dark activity,” such as sailing with tracking signals off, to hide Iranian cargoes.
- Treasury issued an industry alert warning that paying Iranian “tolls” for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger sanctions exposure for shipowners, insurers, and brokers.
- Treasury also designated three Iranian foreign-exchange houses — Opal Exchange, Radin Exchange, and Tahayyori Guarantee Society (Arz Iran Exchange) — as it expands April’s crackdown on overseas facilitators and blocks their U.S.-linked assets.