Dispatch 66—Fire Edition

Panama is firing back at accusations from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which alleges the country is enabling Iran’s sanctions-busting oil trade. UANI claims 17% of suspected Iranian oil carriers fly Panama’s flag, prompting CEO Mark Wallace to call for sanctions against the registry. In response, Panama’s Maritime Authority says it has de-flagged over 650 vessels since 2019, including 107 this March, and enacted tough new rules—like Executive Decree No. 512—to boot sanctioned vessels. It also points to global partnerships like the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) as proof of its commitment. But UANI isn’t convinced. Two of three ships recently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury still flew Panama’s flag, fueling criticism that enforcement lags behind rhetoric.