Iran Uses Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers to Evade US Blockade, Reports Say

Iran is reportedly using ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Gulf of Oman to move crude and evade a US blockade, relying on smaller tankers to navigate the Strait of Hormuz.

Under the reported arrangement, the smaller vessels carry oil through the strait before transferring their cargoes to ships waiting farther offshore.

The waiting ships are described as remaining beyond missile range. The summary of the reports does not specify their locations or identify the vessels involved.

The transfers allow oil cargoes to continue their journey without requiring the receiving ships to pass through the strait themselves. Smaller tankers instead handle that leg of the route.

The reported operation points to an effort by Iran to sustain oil shipments under US pressure, although no details were provided on the volume of crude moved or the frequency of the transfers.