U.S. Intensifies Operation Economic Outcast Against Iran’s Shadow Fleet Networks
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
October 8, 2026
The Iranian regime continues to intentionally disrupt global energy supplies, terrorize its regional neighbors, and employ violence and illegal measures to repress its own people. To sustain its destabilizing agenda, Iran depends on a shadow network of illicit shipping facilitators across multiple jurisdictions, who deliberately falsify documentation, disguise vessel identities, and evade international sanctions to smuggle Iranian oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products to buyers in Asia.
Today under President Trump’s Operation Economic Outcast, the Department of State is further dismantling this illicit network and cutting off the Iranian regime’s ability to fund its malign activities. The Department of State is sanctioning ten entities, six individuals, and five vessels in connection with trade in Iranian-origin petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.
All Department of State targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, which authorizes and reimposes certain sanctions with respect to Iran.
Sanctioning Traders of Iranian-Origin Petrochemical Products
Today’s action sanctions six entities involved in trading Iranian petrochemical products, as well as three principal executive officers tied to companies involved in this activity. These entities have channeled millions of dollars to the Iranian regime, bolstering one of its most critical revenue streams and enabling its continued illicit conduct. The U.S. government is imposing sanctions on both the buyers and sellers driving this trade in Iranian petrochemical products
NOORZAD PETROKIMYA URUNLERI NAKLIYE SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (NOORZAD PETROKIMYA) is a Türkiye-based petrochemical trading company that imported and purchased approximately $3.8 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between January and July 2024. SAID AHMAD NOORZAD (NOORZAD) is a Turkish national and the director and Chief Executive Officer of NOORZAD PETROKIMYA.
NOORZAD PETROKIMYA URUNLERI NAKLIYE SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
NOORZAD is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of NOORZAD PETROKIMYA.
ARABIANPRO MATERIALS FZCO is a United Arab Emirates-based petrochemical trading company that exported $2 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between February 2025 and July 2025.
ARABIANPRO MATERIALS FZCO is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
SSPL SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED (SSPL SOLUTIONS) is an India-based petrochemical trading company that imported $2 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between February 2025 and July 2025. DHWANI NISARG VORA is an Indian national and a director of SSPL SOLUTIONS. NISARG SAMIR VORA is an Indian national and a director of SSPL SOLUTIONS.
SSPL SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
DHWANI NISARG VORA is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of SSPL SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED.
NISARG SAMIR VORA is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of SSPL SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED.
BGZ DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (BGZ) is a Türkiye-based petrochemical trading company that imported approximately $20 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between January and September 2024, including $2 million from Iran-based PADIDEH PLASTIC POSHTIBAN COMPANY.
BGZ is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
PADIDEH PLASTIC POSHTIBAN COMPANY (PADIDEH) is an Iran-based petrochemical trading company that exported approximately $2 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between April and August 2024 to Türkiye-based BGZ.
PADIDEH is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
TUTER PLASTIK SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI is a Türkiye-based petrochemical trading company that imported approximately $3.5 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between January 2023 and August 2024.
TUTER PLASTIK SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
Continued Targeting of Iran’s Dark Fleet and Service Providers
The Department of State is also sanctioning one customs broker, two vessel management companies, and one registered owner for their involvement in providing Iran a maritime pathway for selling sanctioned petroleum and petrochemical products. Today’s action also blocks three principal executive officers of the customs broker which engaged in Iranian-origin petrochemical products trading. As part of this action, the Department is also identifying five vessels these companies own or manage as blocked property. These shipping companies and customs brokers operate within Iran’s larger illicit economy, helping the Iranian regime deliver its energy products to end buyers, evade sanctions, and generate revenue. The United States will not allow actors like these who enable the continued operation of the Iranian regime.
SAMUDRA MARINE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED (SAMUDRA) is an India-based customer broker that facilitated the import of multiple shipments of Iranian-origin petrochemical products to India. KETAN MANOHAR KOCHIKAR (KOCHIKAR) is an Indian national and a director of SAMUDURA. BHUPENDRASINGH DHALSINGH SAHU (SAHU) is an Indian national and a director of SAMUDRA. HARISHYAM HARIHARAN CHUNDAKATTIL (CHUNDAKATTIL) is an Indian national and a director of SAMUDRA.
SAMUDRA is being designated pursuant to Section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
KOCHIKAR is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or a person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of SAMUDRA.
SAHU is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or a person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of SAMUDRA.
CHUNDAKATTIL is being blocked pursuant to section 5(a)(vii) of E.O. 13846 as a principal executive officer, or a person performing similar functions and with similar authorities, of SAMUDRA.
ONE PLUS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD is the United Kingdom-based registered owner of YONG TAI (IMO 9231511). YONG TAI, a Gambia-flagged Oil Products tanker, loaded Iranian-origin methanol from Iran in December 2025. YONG TAI loaded Iranian-origin petrochemical products on at least twelve other occasions since 2024.
ONE PLUS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(iii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran.
YONG TAI is being identified as property in which ONE PLUS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD has an interest.
HORIZON SHIP MANAGEMENT FZE is the UAE-based commercial manager of YASHAR (IMO: 9129380), a Comoros-flagged LPG tanker that loaded Iranian-origin liquefied petroleum gas on at least three occasions between 2025 and 2026.
HORIZON SHIP MANAGEMENT FZE is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.
YASHAR is being identified as property in which HORIZON SHIP has an interest.
HESSONITE SHIP MANAGEMENT LLC (HESSONITE) is the UAE-based commercial manager of ARGO MARIS (IMO: 9041643), a Honduras-flagged Asphalt/Bitumen tanker that loaded sanctioned Iranian-origin petroleum products on at least eight occasions between January 2026 and August 2026. The other two tankers the company manages have also transported Iranian-origin petroleum products at least eight times during HESSONITE’s tenure as their commercial manager.
HESSONITE is being designated pursuant to section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.
ARGO MARIS is being identified as property in which HESSONITE has an interest.
BLACK MAYA (IMO: 9118800) is being identified as property in which HESSONITE has an interest.
ATHE NOVA (IMO: 9188116) is being identified as property in which HESSONITE has an interest.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s sanctions related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 13846, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.
Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: [email protected]. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page.
1) Fairly common set of designations pursuant to Section 3(a)(ii) of E.O. 13846 for “knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.” Compare Sanctioning Entities Trading in Iranian Petroleum and Petrochemicals (Fact Sheet). Some of the designations are notable for the relatively low value of the products at issue and how far in the past they were purchased ("TUTER PLASTIK SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI is a Türkiye-based petrochemical trading company that imported approximately $3.5 million in Iranian-origin petrochemical products between January 2023 and August 2024.")