New Delhi/Gujarat, April 16(BNP): In a curious development amid ongoing US restrictions on Iran’s oil exports, an Iranian tanker carrying an estimated 2 million barrels of crude oil arrived near the Gujarat coast on Tuesday without a declared buyer or destination.
According to ship-tracking data and industry sources, the vessel appeared unannounced, raising questions over its intended offloading and potential buyers.
The development comes even as India has recently resumed limited procurement of Iranian crude following a US sanctions waiver issued last month, which permitted the sale of oil that had already been loaded on tankers prior to the specified cut-off date.
However, sources indicated that Indian refiners are unlikely to lift the cargo from this particular tanker, as it is believed to have been loaded after the waiver deadline, making it ineligible under the relaxed sanctions framework.
The situation underscores the complexities of global oil trade amid geopolitical tensions and regulatory restrictions, with uncertainty continuing over the tanker’s final destination.
