Credit: Wikipedia Commons / AlfvanBeem /  Iranian oil tanker, Dena, seen approaching Port of Rotterdam, Holland on 15 December 2007 

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

United States prosecutors filed a Federal Court action Wednesday seeking seizure of all Iranian gasoline aboard four tankers headed to Venezuela in the Trump administration’s latest move to choke the life out of  the embattled Maduro regime.  A forfeiture complaint and warrant were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that all petroleum-product cargo aboard the Bella with international maritime organization (IMO) number 9208124, the Bering with IMO number 9149225, the Pandi with IMO number 9105073, and the Luna with IMO number 9208100 are subject to forfeiture based on the terrorism forfeiture statute. The documents allege a scheme involving multiple parties affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)  to covertly ship Iranian gasoil, obtained via ship-to-ship transfers, to Venezuela.  The court action also  seeks to prevent the Republic of Iran from earning revenues from the cargo and to discourage future shipments. 

According to the U.S Department of Justice, there are approximately 302,502 barrels of Iranian gasoline currently on board the Bella, approximately 302,522 barrels of Iranian gasoline currently on board the Bering, approximately 259,700 barrels of Iranian gasoline currently on board the Luna, and approximately 298,484 barrels of Iranian gasoline currently on board the Pandi. 

United States District Judge James E. Boasberg issued a warrant to seize all Iranian gasoline on these four vessels, based on a probable cause showing of forfeitability,  the U.S. DOJ said.  The warrant commands the property to be brought to the sole jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The shipments are alleged to be a “source of influence” for the IRGC, a designated foreign terrorist organization, the U.S. DOJ said.   “The documents allege that profits from petroleum sales support the IRGC’s full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad.”

The lawsuit claims a US statute that gives the federal district court in Washington the authority to authorise the seizure of property located outside the country that is “subject to forfeiture under the laws of the United States”.  In announcing the forfeiture complaint, Assistant Attorney General Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge Cagen, and Special Agent in Charge Drolshagen  “commended the work of those who investigated the case from HSI and FBI.”    In addition, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui, Brian Hudak, and Stuart Allen; National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Deputy Chief Elizabeth Cannon and Trial Attorney David Lim; and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Paralegal Liz Swienc and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick.

 U.S. Sanctions Five Iranian Ship Captains For Delivering Oil to Venezuela

Last month,  the US  imposed sanctions on five Iranian ship captains who delivered 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline to Venezuela in support of the Maduro regime.  In May, five Iranian tankers loaded with badly-needed fuel shipments were delivered to Venezuela.  The shipments from the Islamic Republic of Iran  ignited fears of a military confrontation as the U.S. at one point hinted it would stop the fuel deliveries.  The Trump administration staunchly backs Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.