The U.S. Department of Defense announced the interception of the sanctioned tanker Veronica III, which is reportedly involved in transporting Iranian oil. This operation took place within the operational area of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
According to the Pentagon’s statement on social media platform X, military personnel tracked the vessel’s route from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean before executing the interception.
In a firm message, the Pentagon emphasized, “International waters are not a refuge. By land, air, or sea, we will find you and restore justice.” This statement underscores the U.S. commitment to enforcing sanctions against entities involved in the illegal transport of oil.
Ukrainian intelligence reports, shared on the War&Sanctions portal, indicate that the VLCC-class tanker Veronica III has been implicated in the illicit transport of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of sanctioned Iranian oil on behalf of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which is also under U.S. sanctions since December 2024.
This interception follows a similar operation on February 9, when the U.S. military announced the capture of the tanker Aquila II, which is linked to a shadow fleet associated with Russia.
The U.S. Navy has intercepted the sanctioned tanker Veronica III, involved in transporting Iranian oil, as part of ongoing efforts to enforce international sanctions. This action highlights the U.S. commitment to monitoring and addressing illegal oil transport in international waters.