Intel: How Russia, Iran are facilitating illicit oil shipments to Syria (according to the US)

The Donald Trump administration today announced sanctions on individuals and businesses it accuses of participating in an illicit Iranian-Russian scheme to smuggle oil to Syria. The scheme allegedly provides millions of barrels of oil to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad government in defiance of US sanctions.

“Today we are acting against a complex scheme Iran and Russia have used to bolster the Assad regime and generate funds for Iranian malign activity,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement announcing the sanctions on nine individuals and companies.

The statement goes on to issue an explicit warning to shipping companies around the world.

“We are issuing an advisory today identifying the grave risks to the maritime community if they participate in shipping oil to the government of Syria,” Mnuchin said.