US Navy Intercepts Iran Shadow Fleet Sanctions-Evading Tanker Veronica III
The United States has intercepted and detained the oil tanker Veronica III in the Indian Ocean, alleging violations of US sanctions targeting Iran’s shadow fleet.
According to the US Department of War in a statement published on February 15, American forces tracked the vessel from the Caribbean basin to the Indian Ocean before carrying out the operation. The Pentagon stated that the boarding and inspection were conducted without incident. “International waters are not a sanctuary. On land, in the air or at sea we will find you and hold you accountable,” the Pentagon said in its statement.
US Forces Conduct Right-of-Visit, Maritime Interdiction, and Boarding
Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction, and boarding of the Veronica III without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s sanctions against ships suspected of transporting sanctioned oil.
The Pentagon said the ship had been monitored over a prolonged period before being stopped in the Indian Ocean. US officials described the operation as part of broader enforcement efforts aimed at sanction compliance. According to the Pentagon, the vessel had “attempted to violate the quarantine of President Donald Trump,” referring to measures introduced by the US administration against ships suspected of transporting sanctioned oil.
Sanctions and Enforcement Efforts
US officials also warned other vessels against attempting similar activities under sanctions regimes. Veronica III is an oil tanker previously included on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list in March 2024 as part of expanded restrictions targeting Iran’s maritime oil exports. The sanctions documentation cited links between the vessel and the Chinese company SHANGHAI FUTURE SHIP MANAGEMENT CO LTD, which is also under US restrictions.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence’s War Sanctions database, the tanker may have been used to transport hundreds of thousands of tons of sanctioned Iranian and Venezuelan oil.
Vessels Mentioned
- III (IMO: 9326055)
Original Article: US Navy Intercepts Iran Shadow Fleet Sanctions-Evading Tanker Veronica III — UNITED24 Media — United24Media