China’s shadow fleet aids Iran’s oil smuggling

China’s clandestine “dark fleet” is sneaking Iranian oil past U.S. sanctions, funneling billions to Tehran’s regime.

Using covert ship-to-ship transfers in the Riau archipelago, China facilitates Iran’s oil exports, with Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani’s network controlling a vast illicit trade that props up Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Vessels sail from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Malacca, docking in the Riau archipelago to offload crude oil onto China-bound ships.

Deceptive Tactics at Sea

Tankers in this shadowy operation often switch off transponders, rendering them invisible to tracking systems.

Nets and tarps drape over ship sterns, concealing names and identification numbers in a blatant dodge of oversight.

“Both ships have a net or something, a tarp, deployed over the stern, covering the name and identification number — it’s a deceptive practice,” said Charlie Brown, a senior adviser with United Against Nuclear Iran.

Riau Archipelago’s Dark Hub

Brown’s quip about “obvious deceptive practice” understates the audacity—hiding ship identities is a calculated move to keep this oil flowing to China’s refineries unchecked.

CBS News spotted four such transfers 80 miles from Singapore, with 12 recorded by day’s end, signaling a brazen escalation.

“This is ‘dark fleet’ parking central,” Brown remarked, pinpointing the Riau archipelago as the nerve center for this illicit trade.

Shamkhani’s Shipping Empire

Brown’s “parking central” jab barely scratches the surface—this is a sophisticated network laundering billions for Iran’s elite.

Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of Ali Shamkhani, a top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, orchestrates this sprawling operation.

The Treasury Department, on Wednesday, sanctioned over 50 individuals and entities, identifying 50 vessels tied to Shamkhani’s empire.

Billions Fuel Iran’s Ambitions

“Hossein’s network exerts control over a significant portion of Iran’s crude oil exports, the proceeds of which substantially benefit his family and the Iranian regime,” the Treasury Department stated.

This network, including vessels and front companies posing as legitimate firms, launders profits from Iranian and Russian oil, primarily for Chinese buyers.

A congressional report last year estimated this trade generates up to $70 billion for Iran, bankrolling its regime and nuclear weapons program.

Treasury Strikes Back

That $70 billion figure isn’t just a number—it’s a lifeline for Iran’s dangerous ambitions, propped up by China’s complicity.

“The Shamkhani family’s shipping empire highlights how the Iranian regime elites leverage their positions to accrue massive wealth and fund the regime’s dangerous behavior,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Bessent’s point cuts deep: this isn’t just about oil; it’s about elites enriching themselves while threatening global stability.

Maximum Pressure Campaign

“The over 115 sanctions issued today are the largest to-date since the Trump Administration implemented our campaign of maximum pressure on Iran,” Bessent declared.

His “maximum pressure” rhetoric signals a no-nonsense approach, targeting profiteers like Shamkhani who hide behind deceptive fronts.

Ali Shamkhani, sanctioned in 2020, looms large as his son’s network uses intricate measures to obscure ties to Iran and Russia.

China’s Role Exposed

China, buying 90% of Iran’s oil, is no innocent bystander—it’s the linchpin in this sanctions-evading scheme.

The Riau archipelago’s role as a transfer hub shows how far China will go to secure cheap oil, even at the cost of global security.

“Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani’s network comprises a vast fleet of vessels, ship management firms, and front companies—some posing as legitimate financial services firms—that launder billions in profits,” the Treasury Department noted.

A Call for Accountability

The Treasury’s sanctions expose a harsh truth: Iran’s regime thrives on this shadowy trade, and China enables it.

While progressives might downplay these sanctions as hawkish overreach, they disrupt a cycle of elite profiteering that fuels Iran’s nuclear gambit.

America’s push to choke off this illicit trade puts principle over profit, demanding accountability from those who skirt the rules for power.