Over the past weekend, a cargo ship flying the flag of Iran was detained by the US military in the Gulf of Oman, bringing to light the Iranian supply route. American officials are investigating the suspected dual-use goods on board the ship.
On Monday, maritime security sources told Reuters that the “Touska” container ship flying the Iranian flag was boarded and detained by the US military on Sunday, with potentially dual-use goods as claimed by the US.
This small container ship belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group, which is under US sanctions. According to vessel tracking data from Marine Traffic platform, the ship was intercepted by the US military in the waters near Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday.
Shipping data shows that the “Touska” had made several stops at ports in China, including Zhuhai, before heading to Iran through Southeast Asia. Analysts believe that this route helps Iran maintain trade under US sanctions.
Iranian state media confirmed on Monday that the Iranian military stated the ship departed from China.
According to Reuters, security sources who wished to remain anonymous revealed a preliminary assessment that the ship could be carrying dual-use goods. One source mentioned that the ship had previously transported dual-use goods.
In November 2018, during Trump’s first term, the US announced the full restoration of sanctions on Iran’s shipping industry, including IRISL. On December 12, 2019, additional stricter sanctions were imposed on IRISL, with a 180-day buffer period. On June 8, 2020, the US Treasury Department formally implemented sanctions on IRISL and its Chinese subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping.
The US government views the IRISL as the “preferred shipping company” for Iran’s nuclear weapons proliferation and procurement activities, including transporting items for Iran’s ballistic missile program. The “Touska” was also included on the US sanctions list. As part of Trump’s pressure on Iran during his first term, over 700 aircraft, entities, individuals, and vessels were placed under sanctions.
Reuters reported that IRISL-affiliated vessels are controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, with crews mainly composed of Iranians and occasionally employing Pakistani sailors.
Satellite analysis from the data analytics company SynMax revealed that the cargo ship arrived near China’s Taicang port on March 25, and then reached the Gaolan port in southern China on March 29-30.
Gaolan port is a chemical handling port in Zhuhai, including the handling of sodium chlorate which is a critical precursor for the solid rocket fuel needed for Iran’s missile program. Dozens of IRISL company vessels have been shuttling to and from Gaolan port since the beginning of this year.
SynMax’s analysis also showed that after loading containers at Gaolan port, the ship stopped near Port Klang, Malaysia on April 11-12 to load more containers before arriving fully loaded in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday.
Analysts suggest that the “Touska” trying to bypass the tight blockade of the US Navy indicates that the cargo on board may have a high priority.
“It’s a quite foolish act to try to bypass the blockade… but it also suggests that there may be goods urgently needed by Iran on board,” said Ray Powell, director of the SeaLight organization, to Fox News. Powell highlighted the route of the ship passing through Malaysia as noteworthy, mentioning that the enforcement in the Singapore Strait area is relatively weak, leading to frequent “ship-to-ship transfers” making tracking of goods more difficult.
He added that the ship’s stop in China raised questions about the origin of the goods.
Charlie Brown, a senior advisor at “United Against Nuclear Iran” and a former US Navy officer, told The Wall Street Journal that the decision of the “Touska” to attempt to circumvent the US blockade indicates it is carrying something valuable to Iran.
“Attempting to break the blockade is a risky endeavor for sure, but their choices were poor,” he said.
Brown and his colleagues previously pointed out that the “Touska” is one of several operating Iranian vessels amid the US-Iran tensions. These vessels are part of a larger fleet that evades US or EU sanctions in conducting trade between Iran and the outside world.
This fleet includes oil tankers delivering Iranian oil to China. Other vessels, like the “Touska,” transport various goods as container ships.
Brown noted that the “Touska” had docked in Zhuhai port at the end of March. Since the end of February when hostilities erupted in Iran, he has documented nine other Iranian vessels visiting related ports in Zhuhai.
US President Trump posted on “Truth Social” platform on Sunday that the “Touska” cargo ship is currently under US control. Due to Iran’s “history of illegal activities”, the US has imposed sanctions on the ship. The President added that the US military is “inspecting the cargo on board”.
The US Navy issued a statement last Thursday announcing an expansion of the maritime blockade against Iran, including items considered contraband. The Navy stated that any vessel suspected of attempting to enter Iranian territory will be inspected or searched.