At least 10 S’pore-linked entities face US sanctions over alleged links to Iranian oil trade

SINGAPORE – At least 10 entities tied to Singapore’s maritime industry have been sanctioned by the United States over allegations of links to the Iranian oil trade.

They are part of a list of more than 70 individuals, entities and vessels worldwide that the US Department of State and US Treasury in October and November accused of being involved in the trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products, and of facilitating the shipment of oil and liquified petroleum gas from Iran to overseas end-users.

The US government said that the activities “generate hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue for the Iranian regime”.

“The designations include some of the largest buyers of Iranian petrochemical products by volume and value, as well as the leadership of the companies involved in the trade,” the US government said.

The latest list of entities sanctioned, announced on Nov 20, includes three based in Singapore – maritime service provider Strasse Link and its managing director Fadzlon Ahmad and senior operations manager Muhammad Danial Fadzlon. Both Mr Fadzlon and Mr Danial are Singaporeans.

Strasse Link is accused of providing pilot services to Iranian-backed tankers on 13 occasions between Jan 1 and Aug 1. The tankers, which were carrying Iranian crude oil through the Strait of Malacca, later discharged the oil through ship transfers in waters just out of Singapore’s port limits.

Mr Fadzlon and Mr Danial are accused of knowingly engaging in significant transactions for the transporting of Iranian petroleum. Altogether, they allegedly enabled the transfer of more than 20 million barrels of Iranian crude oil.

ST has contacted Strasse Link, Mr Fadzlon and Mr Danial for comments.

The sanctions follow US President Donald Trump’s vow to restore “maximum pressure” on the Iran government and regime.

On Feb 4, Mr Trump signed a national security memorandum that directed the US Treasury to impose economic pressures, through sanctions and enforcement, on those who violate existing sanctions.

All assets belonging to those on the sanctions list that are in the US or in the possession of US officials and other people will be blocked and reported to the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Any entities that are 50 per cent or more owned, directly or indirectly, by those on the sanctions list will also be blocked in the US. The sanctions also prohibit any transaction in the US with those on the list.

Another Singapore-based shipping company, Anbo Shipping, was accused of operating as part of Iran’s shadow fleet.

The US describes the fleet as an illicit network that obfuscates to load and transport Iranian oil to buyers in other countries through deceptive shipping practices.

Anbo Shipping was sanctioned for knowingly engaging in the transaction of Iranian petroleum products.

It is also accused of having links to a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker which was involved in the transfer of Iranian crude oil in July and September.

Chinese national Gu Wenlong, who is believed to be a Singapore permanent resident, and Hengyang Petrochemical Logistics – a Singapore-registered, China-based firm – have both been sanctioned for their links to another Chinese firm, Jiangyin Foreversun Chemical Logistics.

Foreversun, a China-based operator of a petrochemical terminal, had allegedly facilitated the port call and discharge of Iranian petrochemical products on at least five occasions since August 2023.

Singapore-registered Anglo Premier Shipping and its vessel APS 9, and Singapore-based Logos Marine and its vessel Pioneer 92, have been sanctioned for allegedly supporting Iran-affiliated tankers by enabling ship-to-ship transfer operations just out of Singapore waters.

Two Indian nationals – Ms Poonam Kasat and Mr Kunal Kanayalal Kasat – have also been sanctioned.

The Singapore permanent residents, who are joint directors in Singapore-registered Haresh Petrochem Singapore, are accused of knowingly engaging in trade involving Iranian petrochemical products.

India-based Haresh Petrochem, the sole shareholder of its Singapore subsidiary, has been accused of importing some US$10 million of Iranian petrochemical products between January 2024 and February 2025.

ST has contacted the US Embassy for comments.