The unloading of 'Iran's seized oil shipment' in Texas begins despite IRGC threats

An American oil tanker long suspected of carrying sanctioned crude oil from Iran began unloading its cargo near Texas late on Saturday. The Islamic Republic had previously threatened that shipping companies in the Persian Gulf that assist in unloading this cargo in the U.S. would be targeted. According to an Associated Press report on Sunday, shipping tracking data analyzed by the news agency showed that the tanker 'Suez Rajan,' flagged under the Marshall Islands, was transferring its oil to another tanker named 'MR Euphrates' near Galveston, located about 70 kilometers southeast of Houston. Even as Tehran and Washington work towards a multi-billion dollar agreement regarding Iran's blocked assets in South Korea in exchange for the release of five Iranian-Americans, the fate of the Suez Rajan's oil shipment is entangled in broader tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic. This agreement has faced criticism from many Republicans. Iran is attempting to circumvent sanctions and continue selling its oil abroad, while the United States and its allies have seized its oil shipments since 2019 following the collapse of the JCPOA. Iran is trying to sell its sanctioned oil at a significant discount. Previously, the IRGC warned that those involved in unloading the Suez Rajan's cargo should expect to be attacked. The U.S. Navy has steadily increased its presence in the Middle East in recent weeks, and in recent days, the USS Bataan, carrying troops and warplanes, has been sent through the Strait of Hormuz to the region. The U.S. is also considering deploying its armed forces on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to prevent their seizure by Iranian forces. The U.S. Treasury Department has stated that revenues from Iran's oil smuggling support the activities of the Quds Force, the IRGC's overseas unit. Tensions over the Suez Rajan tanker began in February 2022 when the American group 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' suggested that this tanker was carrying oil from Kharg Island, Iran's main oil distribution terminal in the Persian Gulf. The ship had been anchored for months in the South China Sea and off the northeastern coast of Singapore before suddenly heading towards the Gulf of Mexico without explanation. Analysts believe the cargo was likely seized by U.S. officials, although as of early Sunday, there were no public court documents regarding the Suez Rajan. Meanwhile, Iran has also seized two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, including one carrying a cargo for the major American oil company Chevron. In July, a senior IRGC naval commander threatened that his forces would take further action against anyone unloading the Suez Rajan's cargo. Iranian state media have linked recent seizures to the fate of the Rajan's cargo. American lawmakers have called for resolving the issue of unloading the seized Iranian tanker cargo. The IRGC warned oil companies about unloading the confiscated oil cargo. The seizure of the Islamic Republic's tanker cargo by the U.S. comes amid tensions. U.S. senators have called for more sanctions on China due to oil transactions with Iran.