VERA

The tanker was used by the oil broker Petronix Energy Trading Limited (Hong Kong) to transport and further deliver to China hundreds of metric tons of Iranian oil purchased from Naftiran Intertrade Company, which is the marketing arm of the sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). Iran relies on brokers outside of Iran to facilitate the sale and transport of its crude oil to end users abroad, largely in the UAE and China.
The tanker is affiliated with Alkonost Maritime DMCC (UAE), which was sanctioned by USA on February 24, 2025 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction in the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation or marketing of crude oil or petroleum products or petrochemicals from Iran.
On February 24, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which the sanctioned company Alkonost Maritime DMCC has an interest.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9271406. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.