War on Iran: What is Tehran's 'shadow fleet' really and how does it work?

War on Iran: What is Tehran's 'shadow fleet' really and how does it work? Submitted by Daniel Tester on Mon, 07/27/2026 - 15:15 US oil sanctions have forced the Islamic Republic to use ageing tanker vessels to sell its most valuable export to China and elsewhere The tanker Tejas, sanctioned by the US in May 2026 for carrying Iranian oil, docks at Qingdao, China, on 7 April 2026 (AFP) On Washington has reimposed its naval blockade of Iranian ports after the collapse of a planned peace deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran . For decades, the US has tried to isolate Iran, holder of the world’s third largest proven oil reserves, from the global shipping industry with a range of sanctions .