Tehran: An Iranian supertanker carrying crude oil worth an estimated $220 million has reportedly bypassed United States sanctions and reached the Asia-Pacific region, raising fresh questions over the effectiveness of Washington’s enforcement measures. The vessel, identified as ‘Huge’ and owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company, is said to have transported around 1.9 million barrels of crude, according to tanker tracking firm TankerTrackers.com.
Reports indicate that the tanker evaded monitoring systems by going “dark,” a tactic used to avoid detection. It is learnt that the ship switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) from March 20, effectively masking its movements from satellite and naval surveillance. The last recorded signal from the vessel was near Sri Lanka, after which it disappeared from tracking networks for several weeks.
The tanker is believed to have navigated through Indonesia’s Lombok Strait before delivering its cargo near the Riau Islands. This route is seen as a calculated move to avoid heavily monitored choke points and slip past US naval oversight. Observers say the successful voyage directly challenges earlier claims by US President Donald Trump that American forces had full control over the Strait of Hormuz and that sanctions enforcement was proving effective.
The US naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports began on April 13, with the stated objective of choking Tehran’s oil revenue. However, Iranian state media have claimed that dozens of vessels have managed to evade the blockade in a short span, suggesting large-scale gaps in enforcement.
In contrast, US military officials maintain that several ships have been intercepted or turned back since the blockade began, asserting that the operation has significantly impacted Iran’s oil trade. According to the US Central Command, the interdictions have resulted in substantial financial losses for Iran, running into billions of dollars.
The latest tanker episode has intensified scrutiny over the ongoing sanctions regime, with the incident exposing a widening gap between competing claims and the realities unfolding at sea.