Satellite imagery tracked dozens of covert oil transfers near Malaysian waters

Last updated: May 13, 2026 | 19:31

This handout photo from United Against Nuclear Iran shows two oil tankers making a ship-to-ship transfer of Iranian oil in the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL), 70 kilometers off Malaysia. AP

Dubai: Even as Iran faces mounting pressure from a US naval blockade and intensifying scrutiny over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran appears to be quietly sustaining its oil exports through a vast network of shadow tankers and covert ship-to-ship transfers near Malaysian waters, according to an Associated Press investigation.

The report said dozens of Iranian-linked oil transfers have taken place in waters off Malaysia’s southern Johor state since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict on February 28, highlighting how Tehran continues to exploit opaque maritime networks to bypass sanctions and keep crude flowing to buyers.

Satellite imagery reviewed by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a US-based advocacy…