Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 15 July 2012US Sanctions Suniel Kumar Sharma, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid Over Fake Ship Registries for Iran
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US sanctions India-based Suniel Sharma and wife for facilitating Iran's shadow fleet. Network also includes Turkish aviation services firm aiding Iranian sanctioned airlines.
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Sanctions on Sharma Network
The United States imposed sanctions on Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, and on nine entities linked to Sharma, accusing them of helping Iran get around restrictions on its oil exports and its airlines. The Treasury said the couple falsely claimed to represent maritime authorities of countries including Guyana, Eswatini and Laos, and it said they issued fake flags and certifications that allowed sanctioned tankers carrying Iranian oil to continue operating. The Treasury described the scheme as dating back to at least 2014 and said it relied on websites built to resemble official national ship registries.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would continue to pursue anyone who supports Tehran, and he framed the campaign as part of the Trump administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast.” The sanctions freeze any US assets held by those targeted and generally bar Americans from dealing with them.
False Flags, Aviation Links
The Treasury also sanctioned Turkiye-based Fugo Ground Services, saying the company provided ground handling and other services to several US-sanctioned Iranian airlines that still fly to Turkiye, including Iran Air Tour and Saha Airlines. The Treasury said the Office of Foreign Assets Control warned shipping companies about the sanctions risks of dealing with vessels sailing under false flags. The Treasury said the scheme relied on websites built to resemble official national ship registries, and it said the scheme dated back to at least 2014.
The Treasury also said the couple’s network issued fake flags and certifications that allowed sanctioned tankers carrying Iranian oil to continue operating, including vessels working for the Iranian military and its allied groups. Scott Bessent said, “We know where you are, and we will sanction those who continue supporting the Iranian regime, whether by land, sea, or air.”
Operation Economic Outcast Stakes
The sanctions were announced as part of the Trump administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” which aims to cut off oil revenue Iran uses to fund its war effort. The Treasury said last week that its campaign had pushed Iran’s currency, the rial, to new lows and driven inflation to about 90 percent. The sanctions were announced a day after Democrats won control of both houses of Congress in US midterm elections, and the Al Jazeera account tied the timing to the political context of the Iran war.
Brett Erickson, managing principal of Obsidian Risk Advisors, said the move signals no softening in Washington despite the electoral rebuke, adding, “Even after a brutal electoral defeat, Washington appears unwilling to take even the smallest step toward de-escalation.” The sanctions also came with an advisory warning that ships flying bogus flags can operate without proper indemnity insurance, leaving coastal states exposed to potential liabilities running into the billions of dollars in economic and environmental damage.