The US announced on 10th September that it is blocking a number of vessels for transporting munitions from Iran to Russia. The US has officially accused Iran of transporting munitions to Russia, which are to be deployed in the coming weeks against Ukraine.

The US has claimed that many vessels owned by the Russian ship operator MG-FLOT have been transporting munitions, particularly Close Range Ballistic Missiles (CRBMs), from Iran to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine.

The vessels, namely the BORIS KUSTODIEV, the PORT OLYA-3, the PORT OLYA-4, and the KOMPOZITOR RAKHMANINOV, have been claimed to regularly transit the Caspian Sea transporting cargo between Russia and Iran.

Two Russian shipping companies are also being sanctioned for owning vessels that have been involved in the transport of munitions.

The shipping company, Vafa Wholesale Ltd., along with its vessels VAFA, and VAFA-1 have been added to the sanctions list. Vafa Wholesale Ltd. is the owner of a vessel that was used to transport UAV-related equipment from Iran to Russia via the Caspian Sea.

Similarly, the shipping company Sea Service Limited Liability Company and its vessels have been blocked for owning a vessel, namely the OMSKIY-103, that was used in the transport of munitions from Iran to Russia via the Caspian Sea. Other vessels owned by the Sea Service Limited Liability company that have been blocked are the OMSKIY-119 and the ZAKAMSK.