US sanctions Chinese, Hong Kong shipping firms over Iranian oil deliveries

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned a group of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong shipping companies accused of operating vessels that transported Iranian oil to China, extending Washington’s economic campaign against Tehran alongside its naval blockade.

The US State Department said eight companies were designated for operating vessels that moved Iranian crude oil and petrochemical products to China and the United Arab Emirates as part of Iran’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet”.

Six of the eight vessels identified by the US Treasury Department were specifically accused of carrying Iranian crude to China, in some cases transporting millions of barrels during 2026.

“Today’s designations support the US Navy’s enforcement of a blockade on Iranian ports and coastline,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

The action also targeted two Iranian companies accused of forcing commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz to purchase maritime insurance against risks, including seizures, that Washington says are created by Tehran itself.

The South China Morning Post has contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington for comment.