Controversy Over Report That “Reveals” How to Bypass Sanctions
Iran’s state television and radio has rejected published reports claiming to have exposed details of a confidential oil deal and methods used to circumvent American sanctions.
The controversy over the publication of a report on Iran’s state media has intensified at a time when Iran’s oil exports have drastically declined due to American sanctions, and Islamic Republic leaders are seeking alternative ways to sell oil.
Earlier, some Iranian media outlets reported that in the program “Salam, Sabah Bakhair” on the third channel of IRIB, the program’s host, by displaying aerial images, revealed the route of an oil tanker that was bypassing American sanctions and delivering its cargo to China.
In this program, it was stated that the tanker named “Salina” delivered one million barrels of oil to Chinese buyers.
However, the public relations department of “Salam, Sabah Bakhair” denied the allegations of exposing classified national information hours after these reports were published.
In a statement from the public relations office of “Salam, Sabah Bakhair,” it was said that information related to this tanker and the secret sale of Iranian oil to a Chinese buyer had previously “been published in the form of a report with satellite images in the international publication Financial Times along with photos and more complete details.”
The statement said: “If the tracking of the tanker is to be done by Americans, this should have happened the week before, and there is no need for the program ‘Salam, Sabah Bakhair’ in the Persian language to remind the Americans.”
The disclosure of this information comes at a time when Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum had previously insisted on protecting information and “oil secrets” and was unwilling to reveal “secret information about bypassing sanctions.”
Bijan Zanganeh, Iran’s oil minister, had previously remained silent when asked about the level of Iran’s oil production and sales, saying he was not willing to disclose information in this regard.
Zanganeh said last March in a speech: “I cannot say how we bypass sanctions, because it is detrimental to the nation. Some people say you are not working, but we do not expose our plans. We provide no information because the enemy will use it against us.”
Source: DW
