Multiple U.S. Senators have taken a firm stance on Iran’s alleged violation of U.S. sanctions, sending a letter to the Panama Maritime Authority to seek cooperation in investigating ships registered in Panama suspected of transporting Iranian oil.
The letter points out that United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) identified 383 vessels suspected to be part of a clandestine “ghost fleet.” Notably, almost half of these vessels, are flagged in Panama. The Senators express their concern regarding the Panama Maritime Authority’s diligence in addressing these flagged vessels and raise the potential risk of similar practices being employed to evade U.S. sanctions on Russian oil.
The U.S. urges Panama to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of the 189 ships flagged in Panama. The Senators call for strict adherence to established procedures, including the de-flagging of ships supported by corroborated evidence.
Furthermore, they stress the importance of avoiding future flagging of vessels engaged in such activities and extend a plea to extend similar scrutiny to ships suspected of evading sanctions on other nations.
