Iran’s Crude Exports Hit Zero, but LPG and Jet Fuel Still Leak Out
Iran’s crude exports have fallen to zero, yet at least eight gas tankers and one jet fuel cargo appear to have slipped past a US naval blockade that officials describe as airtight. The advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) estimates the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) on those tankers at about 4.1 million barrels. Over the same period, Kpler recorded zero Iranian crude loadings in September 2026.
That gap between crude and refined products is the story. US Central Command (CENTCOM) reimposed the blockade on 14 July 2026. Asian jet fuel prices have more than doubled since the Iran war began. Reuters disclosed both the cargoes and the method used to hide them on 16 October.
What the tracking evidence shows about Iranian LPG and jet fuel cargoes
The evidence comes from a few vessels, tracked one at a time. Read in sequence, they show a pattern.
UANI combines ship tracking with satellite observation. It identified at least eight gas tankers carrying Iranian LPG out of the Gulf of Oman since mid-July.
Vessel count: at least 8 gas tankers
at least gas tankers Volume: about 4.1 million barrels, an analyst estimate rather than a customs or bill-of-lading total
about, an analyst estimate rather than a customs or bill-of-lading total Route: transfers near the Omani towns of Shinas and Sohar, or waiting in the Gulf of Oman before crossing the blockade line
transfers near the Omani towns of Shinas and Sohar, or waiting in the Gulf of Oman before crossing the blockade line Onward leg: further transfers at Malaysia’s Eastern Outer Port Limits (OPL), an offshore zone used for transshipment
further transfers at Malaysia’s Eastern Outer Port Limits (OPL), an offshore zone used for transshipment Likely destination: China, according to UANI
Four maritime security sources who monitor Gulf oil flows told Reuters that Iran has hidden these cargoes among a growing number of ship-to-ship (STS) transfers by other Gulf producers off Oman.
Iranian LPG supply routes toward China have long relied on indirect logistics, and the estimated 4.1 million barrels fits that pattern of opportunistic movement rather than a restored export channel.
The jet fuel cargo to Myanmar
SynMax satellite imagery identified a tanker carrying Iranian jet fuel that reached Myanmar in September. Its volume was not reported. Washington has sanctioned Myanmar’s jet fuel sector since 2023.
Torbjorn Soltvedt of Verisk Maplecroft said economic strain could push Iran toward taking bigger risks. He added that jet fuel is an attractive product to move, given grounded aircraft and possible refinery surpluses.
The vessels involved share a common profile. A Reuters review of Treasury records found that seven of them (six gas tankers and the jet fuel tanker) were already under US sanctions. UANI senior research analyst Jemima Shelley described the shipments as opportunistic rather than a new strategy.
Shelley’s assessment Only a handful of LPG tankers made it through, according to Shelley, while US forces redirected most tankers carrying Iranian products.
How ship-to-ship transfers off Oman and Malaysia hide a cargo’s origin
The concealment rests on a simple fact: a cargo can be moved from one ship to another at sea. Each transfer makes it harder to connect where the cargo came from with where it ends up.
The four-step transfer process involves:
1. Initial loading of LPG or jet fuel onto an Iranian-flagged vessel 2. Transfer to a neutral-flagged vessel, often in international waters 3. Further transfers at offshore zones like Malaysia’s Eastern Outer Port Limits (OPL) 4. Final delivery to the intended destination
Each step increases the difficulty in tracing the cargo’s origin, making it challenging for enforcement agencies to detect and intercept illicit shipments.
The read for you is that product cargoes can move in small, deniable batches even when crude cannot. That is a signal about how the blockade is designed. It is not proof that Iranian supply has returned.
Original Article: Iran’s Crude Exports Hit Zero, but LPG and Jet Fuel Still Leak Out — Discoveryalert