Three tankers linked to Iran and subject to US sanctions were intercepted by Indian authorities this month
By Sammy,
Three tankers linked to Iran and subject to US sanctions were intercepted by Indian authorities this month after what officials described as suspicious activity was detected in waters west of Mumbai, a source confirmed to Reuters. The confirmation follows an official post on X from earlier this month that was subsequently removed. According to the source, the ships had changed their names and registrations multiple times, a practice authorities say is used to avoid identification. They were escorted to port for further examination. Iran denied any connection, with the country's state-owned oil company saying it had no relationship to the vessels or their cargo.
The interceptions come at a time of shifting trade and diplomatic relations between India and the United States. The two governments recently reached an agreement under which India said it would reduce Russian oil imports, and Washington said it would lower tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%. Indian authorities say they have also been increasing surveillance in their maritime zone to monitor ship-to-ship oil transfers, in which cargo is moved between vessels at sea in a way that can make it harder to trace a shipment's point of origin. Whether the increased maritime enforcement is directly connected to that diplomatic agreement, or reflects broader Indian policy priorities, has not been officially confirmed.
Topics: Iran, Diplomacy
Reported by Sammy for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.