The U.S. is trying to seize around 2 million barrels of what it claims is Iranian oil, according to people familiar with the matter, in Washington’s latest attempt to block Iran’s energy exports, Bloomberg reported.
The crude is on board the Liberia-flagged Achilleas, which is sailing to the US after the Department of Justice issued a seizure order, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they’re not authorized to speak to media.
The order came before Joe Biden succeeded Donald Trump as US president on Jan. 20, according to the people.
The Achilleas, a vessel known as a Very Large Crude Carrier, received its oil from another ship at the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah in November. According to the shipping documents, the Achilleas was then scheduled to sail to the Omani capital of Muscat.
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