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Tanker tied to US-traded firm receiving Iran oil in violation of US sanctions: Group


An oil tanker owned by a major US-traded transportation company appears to be taking on Iranian crude oil in a key Asian maritime strait in violation of American sanctions, an advocacy group has alleged.

The firm allegedly involved, Euronav, said Wednesday it will “take appropriate action when necessary.”

Satellite photos and maritime tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press put the Belgian-flagged crude oil tanker Oceania just next to the Vietnamese-flagged tanker Abyss for a possible ship-to-ship transfer. The group United Against Nuclear Iran has warned the Oceania’s owner, the Antwerp-based Euronav, that it believes the Abyss took on Iranian crude oil in late February.

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The suspicion comes as Iran remains able to trade its crude oil at sea despite American sanctions snapping back into place after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

Now nearly five years later, Iran enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels while continuing to sell its oil and supplying bomb-carrying drones to Russia to fuel Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Brian Gallagher, a spokesman for Euronav, told the AP in a statement that the company “has and always has taken all the appropriate measures and protocols to ensure we are in compliance with all regulations.”

“All cargoes within our system have passed these requirements,” Gallagher wrote. “Euronav will continue to monitor any specific shipments and take appropriate action where necessary.”

Gallagher said the Oceania was a storage vessel and the cargo from the Abyss was for “a third party NOT directly with Euronav.” He added if the allegation the oil is Iranian is proven, “the cargo will be returned to the third party who delivered it.”

Euronav trades on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Abyss’ manager did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC and data from the ships’ Automatic Identification System trackers put the vessels Tuesday and Wednesday in the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways between Indonesia and Malaysia. In an image Tuesday, tug boats were pushing the Abyss toward the Oceania.

Tracking data from MarineTraffic.com showed the vessels alongside each other Wednesday. At sea, oil tankers can funnel crude between each other in a ship-to-ship transfer that typically sees boats in a similar position.

In a letter dated Tuesday to Euronav, United Against Nuclear Iran said it believed the Abyss took on crude oil at the Iranian port of Bandar Mahshahr, some 600 kilometer (370 miles) southwest of the capital, Tehran, on the Gulf. The Abyss had turned off its AIS tracker on February 18 as it was pointed toward Bandar Mahshahr.

Ships are supposed to keep their AIS trackers on for safety reason, but vessels believed to be carrying Iranian crude oil routinely turn theirs off to mask their movements over the international sanctions Tehran faces.

A ship corresponding to the Abyss’ size and features could be seen docked at Bandar Mahshahr on February 22 in a satellite photo analyzed by the AP. United Against Nuclear Iran said it found a satellite image it believed showed the Abyss at the port in the same position the day before.

“Any other signs of manipulating AIS transponders should be considered red flags for potential illicit activity,” the New York-based group said in its letter signed by Mark Wallace, a former US ambassador to the United Nations.

The Abyss is managed by Ho Chi Minh City-based PetroVietnam Transportation. Vietnamese vessels have been suspected of smuggling Iranian crude oil in the past. Smugglers typically misidentify where the crude oil they carry came from in order to skirt suspicions.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations and the US Treasury did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This isn’t the first time a US-linked firm has been associated with an Iranian oil transfer at sea. In February 2022, United Against Nuclear Iran warned Los Angeles-based private equity firm Oaktree Capital Management that it believed a tanker the firm owned took on Iranian crude oil.

The US government has said illicit Iranian oil revenue funds the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, an expeditionary unit believed to be working abroad in countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen to back Iranian-allied militias.

Read more:

Iran oil cargo previously seized by US unloads in Syria: Ship tracker

Iran says oil exports hit highest level since reimposition of US sanctions: Tasnim

UN announces ‘major breakthrough’ to prevent oil spill disaster in Yemen​​​​​​​

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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