Two tankers transporting Iranian petroleum have signaled their destination as Pakistan. This atypical maneuver may indicate they are seeking a secure haven as U.S. enforcement measures take effect.
Vessel tracking data reveals that the ships Rani and Amil, collectively carrying one million barrels of crude oil, altered their listed destination to Karachi on Tuesday. These vessels were already outside the Persian Gulf when the United States reinstated its maritime blockade on Iranian shipping.
It is improbable that the tankers will offload their cargo in Pakistan, as doing so would expose the country to the risk of violating U.S. sanctions. According to data intelligence firm Kpler, Pakistan has not imported any Iranian crude oil for at least a decade.
The two vessels—one a Suezmax tanker and the other a medium-range tanker—may proceed to Pakistani waters to await further instructions or potentially transfer their cargo to other ships. There is precedent for tankers carrying Iranian oil to loiter in waters near Karachi.
Both tankers are under U.S. sanctions and are part of Iran's so-called "shadow fleet" used to transport its petroleum.
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