ICYMI: At Sea with the Dark Fleet: CBS and UANI Expose Illicit Iranian Oil Transfers

A new CBS News investigation has revealed how Iran continues to evade U.S. sanctions by selling oil via a shadowy “dark fleet” of tankers operating in international waters. These illicit transfers—often carried out in Southeast Asia’s Riau archipelago—provide large and vital revenues to the Iranian regime and undermine U.S. efforts to constrain its nuclear ambitions.

CBS’s Anna Coren and UANI’s Charlie Brown during the filming of the documentary. 

UANI Senior Advisor Charlie Brown—a former U.S. Navy officer—joined CBS’s Anna Coren at sea to observe these operations firsthand. From a tracking vessel, Brown identified sanctioned tankers engaged in deceptive ship-to-ship transfers, their names and transponders deliberately hidden. “This is 'dark fleet' parking central,” he said.

This illicit trade has drawn increasing concern on Capitol Hill. A recent congressional report estimated it has generated up to $70 billion for Iran, helping fund its nuclear and military programs. Yet China continues to ignore U.S. sanctions, claiming its trade with Iran is legitimate.

UANI has long tracked these violations through its Tanker Tracking program and was instrumental in exposing the Suez Rajan case. UANI maintains a list of Ghost Armada vessels, which can be found here. Our work remains vital to uncovering and disrupting the maritime networks that sustain Iran’s malign activities.