United Against Nuclear Iran Organization: 'Cook Islands' has become a key player in Iran's oil smuggling

The United Against Nuclear Iran organization published its report on the status of Iranian oil transfers by tankers in July on Thursday, August 2. The report states that Iranian oil, which is under international sanctions, is transported by tankers flying the flags of other countries to various parts of the world. The organization noted its global campaign to counter the smuggling of Iranian oil by these tankers, stating that since the beginning of this calendar year, Panama has removed about 109 ships from its list of registered tankers. These ships participated in the transfer of sanctioned Iranian oil using Panama's flag. However, according to the organization, the 'Cook Islands,' a small island nation in the South Pacific that has free connections with New Zealand and has a population of about 15,000, has become a significant player in this field. This year, the Cook Islands has registered the most ships and provided its flag to them. According to the organization's statistics, the Cook Islands has registered about 35 tankers that participated in the transfer of Iranian oil. Comoros, Palau, Barbados, and Gabon follow in the rankings of the United Against Nuclear Iran organization. The organization stated that the easy provision of flags by countries like the Cook Islands is an essential part of the illegal oil trade of the Islamic Republic, allowing Tehran to export nearly two million barrels of oil per day using these services. China is considered the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil. According to available statistics, ships registered in the Cook Islands play a significant role in transferring sanctioned oil from Iran and Russia to buyers around the world. The Cook Islands' ability to attract a large number of these tankers reflects the country's growing reputation as a convenient flag for ship owners seeking to evade sanctions. These tankers, often older and anonymous, use deceptive methods to evade identification and continue trading in sanctioned oil markets. Meanwhile, the Cook Islands has assured the United Against Nuclear Iran organization that it pays attention to the U.S. sanctions list when registering ships and checks the records of the ship, owner, or company manager. According to the United Against Nuclear Iran organization, by allowing these tankers to transfer smuggled Iranian oil under its flag, the Cook Islands potentially facilitates illegal activities and undermines efforts to enforce sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The organization calls on all countries to refrain from registering and providing their flags to ships participating in the illegal transfer of Iranian oil or to remove them from their lists in order to maintain international standards and avoid complicity in evading sanctions.