Iranian Oil Sales to China Skyrocket as Experts Say Biden Admin Turns Blind Eye to Sanctions Enforcement

Illicit Iranian oil sales to China have soared in recent months as the Biden administration attempts to reenter the 2015 nuclear accord, raising concerns from Iran experts that the United States is turning a blind eye to sanctions violations in a bid to entice Iran back to the bargaining table.

China imported nearly 800,000 barrels of Iranian crude per day on average during the last three months, almost double the amount it was illegally buying from Iran during the same period last year when the Trump administration was pressuring Iran with a crippling sanctions campaign.

The increase comes amid an effort by China and Iran to boost diplomatic ties and force the Biden administration into removing sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

China's importation of Iranian oil has drastically increased since January 2021, according to experts tracking the numbers, and has coincided with the Biden administration's efforts to revive nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

The United States has promised to waive sanctions on Iran that were imposed by the Trump administration, including those on its oil trade, if Iran agrees to return to the deal.

China, the official added, "Is an important trading partner for Iran, so of course our discussions with China on how best to get back into the JCPOA include discussions of sanctions enforcement."

In November 2020, at the height of the Trump administration's sanctions campaign, UANI found 70 foreign vessels that it suspected of engaging in illicit oil transfers for Iran.
 

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/iranian-oil-sales-to-china-skyrocket-as-experts-say-biden-admin-turns-blind-eye-to-sanctions-enforcement/