A report accused two Lebanese companies of smuggling Iranian oil to the Syrian regime, in violation of US sanctions against Tehran, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Wednesday (August 14th).
Tankers Trackers - an international tanker tracking website - published a report in which it announced that Lebanese commercial records and traceability data for ships showed that two companies owned and operated oil tankers transporting Iranian crude oil secretly in the Mediterranean to Syria.
Asharq Al-Awsat could not contact the companies to confirm or deny the accusations.
According to the report, two tankers -- Sandro and Jasmine -- turned off their transponders when they reached the Syrian coast, as many Iranian vessels do, to avoid detection while en route to their destination.
The report noted that Sandro turned its transponder off near Cyprus, effectively disappearing from the maritime map.
In a similar incident, the location of the tanker Jasmine disappeared from radars while in the Mediterranean. The tanker is on the US list to monitor illegal activities, the report noted.
