UANI Update On Suez Rajan Laden With Illicit Iranian Oil

Calls on Owners and Managers to Announce Results of Review of UANI Research Revealing Iranian Oil Smuggling & Calls for Appropriate Diversion and Administration of Iranian Oil

(New York, N.Y.) — On February 15, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) identified illicit Iranian oil smuggling through a Ship-to-Ship Transfer to the vessel SUEZ RAJAN. In response, the SUEZ RAJAN’s owners and operators, respectively Oaktree Capital Management (Oaktree), Fleetscape, and Empire Navigation (The ‘SUEZ RAJAN PARTIES’), committed to thorough and full internal investigations of this illicit oil smuggling that resulted in approximately 1 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil, laden on the SUEZ RAJAN. An updated timeline of recent events surrounding the SUEZ RAJAN is below:

• On March 10th AP revealed that the U.S. quietly seized the cargo of two tankers suspected of transporting Iranian oil as part of an elaborate sanctions-busting scheme involving forged documents and the repainting of a ship’s deck to cloak illegal shipments.
   
• On March 12th Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said the U.S. seizing of tankers has failed to stop Iran’s oil exports. “When the enemy realized it could not stop our exports and contracts, they went after our ships,” Owji said.
   
• On March 3rd, Fleetscape officials confirmed receipt of UANI’s inquiry and concerns but provided no material update on the matter of the SUEZ RAJAN.
   
• On March 2nd, UANI called upon the SUEZ RAJAN PARTIES to divert the SUEZ RAJAN to a U.S port for enforcement proceedings and the appropriate administration of the sanctioned Iranian oil.
   
• Between March 3rd - March 10th UANI and UANI CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace directed various communications and attempts to communicate to the SUEZ RAJAN Captain, _______________ without success. (Currently, UANI is not identifying the Captain publicly)
   
• On March 3rd, victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks asked a U.S. judge to order the seizure of the sanctioned oil on the SUEZ RAJAN and use the funds from its sale to in part satisfy the $3.61 billion judgement they hold against Iran. The Judgement enforcement matter is styled Hoglan et al v. Oaktree Capital Management LP et al, No. 11-07550 (In satisfaction of In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, No. 03-md-01570)
   
• On February 23rd, UANI called on Fleetscape and Oaktree to announce the results and review of UANI research revealing Iranian oil smuggling and called for appropriate diversion and seizure of the Iranian oil.
   
• On February 20th, the operator/manager of the SUEZ RAJAN, Greece-based Empire Navigation, committed to a full investigation of the matter and to fully cooperate with U.S. authorities.
   
• On February 18th, Fleetscape said it is “cooperating fully with the U.S. authorities in a thorough investigation into this matter.”
   
• On February 18th, the Class Society ABS and the UK P&I Club committed to joining U.S. authorities in investigating the matter.
   
• On February 17th, Oaktree said it is “cooperating with U.S. government investigators to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter.”
   
• ICYMI the SUEZ RAJAN smuggling operation as revealed by UANI was covered by AP, Reuters, and Lloyd’s List.

Ambassador Wallace stated:

“To date Fleetscape/Oaktree have not revealed the conclusions of their internal investigations. The Suez Rajan continues to remain in place off the Riau archipelago. UANI calls on Oaktree and Fleetscape to make transparent immediately all information related to the Suez Rajan’s smuggling of Iranian oil, to divert the Suez Rajan to a U.S. port and to cooperate with enforcement counsel in the appropriate administration of the sanctioned oil. This matter must be resolved immediately.”

To read UANI’s Iran Tanker Tracking resource, please click here.

To read UANI’s blog post, February 2022 Iran Tanker Tracking, please click here.

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