Iranian oil tycoon smuggles arms to Russia via Caspian Sea for Ukraine war

Bloomberg, citing sources, reported the information.

Hossein Shamkhani is the son of former Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani, now an advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to the report, Shamkhani Jr. is part of a group funneling weapons to Russia across the Caspian Sea, playing a “key role” in supplying Iranian arms to Moscow.

Shamkhani owns a network of companies exporting oil and petroleum products from Iran and Russia to nations evading sanctions. His empire also includes a hedge fund with offices in London, Geneva, and Singapore, plus a fleet of tankers and cargo ships.

Sources say that since 2023, companies tied to Shamkhani, including Dubai-based Crios Shipping LLC, have been moving weapons, drone components, and dual-use goods by sea.

Previously operating in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, Crios vessels shifted to the Caspian in mid-2023. Ships like the Sea Castle (a.k.a. Tooka) and Sea Anchor (a.k.a. Roja) have made at least five trips this year between Iranian ports and Astrakhan, Russia. Other ships are likely involved.

Moscow pays for these shipments in oil, though the exact volume of weapons delivered remains unclear. To avoid leaving a trail, the shipments are reportedly undeclared on official documents.

• On November 18, the EU expanded sanctions in response to Iran’s military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.