(Patriot.Buzz) – In flagrant defiance of U.S. sanctions, China’s significant purchases of Iranian oil are channeling billions of dollars in profits to Tehran, which in turn is supporting its allies, including the terrorist group Hamas.
This information comes from the “October 2023 Iran Tanker Tracker” analysis by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), highlighting the magnitude of these transactions since the inception of the Biden administration. The analysis pinpoints China as the primary buyer of Iranian oil, with purchases averaging around 1 million barrels per day in October, as seen in a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
The CRS report raises concerns that the Biden administration might be deliberately overlooking China’s acquisitions of Iranian crude, seemingly to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing or to prevent a spike in global crude prices. This lack of stringent enforcement of sanctions, especially following Hamas’ attack on Israel, has prompted U.S. senators to consider reinforcing existing restrictions on Iran.
Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, is leading a bipartisan effort to establish a $150 million fund for Homeland Security Investigations to bolster the enforcement of Iranian oil sanctions. Despite previous successful seizures of Iranian oil cargoes, such operations have been limited by high upfront costs, which have only sometimes been fully funded, as per Reuters.
UANI’s analysis further emphasizes the financial support Iran provides to Hamas, approximating $100 million annually. This support had extremely dire consequences, as seen in the recent deadly Hamas attack on Israel. The UANI researchers state that Iran has exported over $80 billion worth of oil under the Biden administration, with China being the top purchaser.
In addition to China, the UANI report identifies Syria and the United Arab Emirates as significant buyers of Iranian crude. Syria’s average purchase was around 119,527 barrels per day, and the UAE bought an average of 123,091 barrels per day in October.
Amidst congressional fears over lax sanction enforcement, especially after Hamas attacked Israel, efforts are underway to reinforce the existing restrictions on Iran.
