Oil Tanker Grace 1 Detained in Gibraltar, US Targets Iranian Oil Sales and Hamas Funding in Malaysia
The oil supertanker Grace 1 was detained near Gibraltar on July 4, 2019, on suspicion of carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria. This action came amidst heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with Washington imposing significant sanctions on Tehran and its proxies.
A senior US Treasury official stated that the United States viewed Iran's capacity to move its oil as reliant on service providers based in Malaysia. The official also expressed concern about Malaysia potentially becoming a hub for fundraising and money movement by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
In response, Malaysia's government spokesperson, Fahmi Fadzil, affirmed the country's compliance with UN sanctions but expressed reservations about unilaterally imposed sanctions.
Brian Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and Neil MacBride, Treasury General Counsel, are scheduled to visit Malaysia to discuss these concerns and clamp down on financing for militant groups routed through Southeast Asia.
The US Treasury aims to work with maritime operators and banking executives in Singapore and Malaysia to halt Iranian oil sales and prevent Hamas from utilizing the region for fundraising and money transfers.
This development underscores the ongoing efforts by the United States to disrupt Iran's oil sales and limit the financial resources of groups like Hamas. The situation in Malaysia remains fluid, with further discussions and actions expected in the coming days.
0 Comments
Name
Comment Text