U.S. Pressure Campaign Leaves Iranian Tankers Stranded in Asian Waters

Dozens of Iranian oil tankers are adrift off Sri Lanka and Malaysia, stranded as the U.S. threatens secondary sanctions against countries providing assistance. The vessels, mostly empty after transferring sanctioned oil to Chinese buyers, have been caught in a blockade since July when the U.S. reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials pressured Sri Lanka to block local ships from provisioning the tankers and their crews, citing risk of secondary sanctions. Before the conflict, ships carried Iranian crude to Malaysian waters for ship-to-ship transfers to vessels bound for Chinese refineries.

Now, Asian ports refuse service due to sanctions fears, leaving tankers drifting with limited supplies. The Elva, a sanctioned tanker that loaded oil from Kharg Island, has lingered off Malaysia since August. Analysts expect Iranian oil payments to cease by year-end, with revenues dropping to zero for Iran by December.

数十艘伊朗油轮在斯里兰卡和马来西亚外海搁浅，因美国威胁对提供援助的国家实施次级制裁而陷入困境。这些船只大多在将受制裁石油转移给中国买家后已空置，自7月美国重新对霍尔木兹海峡实施限制以来，一直处于封锁状态。美国官员施压斯里兰卡，要求阻止当地船只为这些油轮及其船员提供补给，理由是存在触发次级制裁的风险。冲突发生前，这些船只曾将伊朗原油运往马来西亚水域，进行船对船转运，再由前往中国炼油厂的船只接收。如今，亚洲港口因担心制裁而拒绝提供服务，导致油轮在补给有限的情况下漂泊。从哈尔格岛装载石油的受制裁油轮‘埃尔瓦’号自8月以来一直在马来西亚外海滞留。分析师预计，伊朗的石油收入将在年底前停止，到12月伊朗的收入将降至零。