Suspected Iranian Oil Begins Offloading in Texas, Fueling Tensions

An American-owned oil tanker, the Suez Rajan, long believed to be transporting sanctioned Iranian crude oil, began offloading its cargo near Texas on Saturday, according to tracking data. The ship’s cargo has become a flashpoint in the intensifying tensions between the US and Iran. Concurrently, the two nations are negotiating a potential deal involving the trade of billions in frozen Iranian assets for the release of five Iranian Americans detained in Tehran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened retaliation for the offloading. In response, the US Navy has ramped up its Middle East presence and is contemplating deploying armed personnel on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Suez Rajan saga traces back to February 2022 when suspicions arose that the vessel carried Iranian oil. Its lengthy detention in the Gulf of Mexico had political implications for the Biden Administration. US senators recently inquired about the ship’s $56 million cargo, suggesting the funds could benefit the US Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.