INTERNACIONAL
Iran’s $800M oil smuggling scheme uses tankers posing as Iraqi ships to dodge blockade
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Sanctioned tankers disguised as Iraqi vessels are moving hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian crude as President Donald Trump doubled down on the port blockade to squeeze Tehran’s oil lifeline, according to maritime intelligence.
Windward AI claimed Wednesday that a group of U.S.-sanctioned tankers are falsifying their location data to come off as anchored off Iraq while secretly loading Iranian oil at Iranian ports.
«Among the tankers spoofing their location in the area identified by Windward are four VLCCs: Alicia (IMO 9281695), RHN (IMO 9208215), Star Forest (9237632), and Aqua (IMO 9248473), using various flags, including fraudulent registries from Curacao and Malawi,» the firm told Fox News Digital.
«For the four VLCCs, each VLCC can hold about 2 million barrels, so four of them would hold 8 million barrels, worth about $800 million at $100 per barrel,» Windward said.
TRUMP CASTS MADURO’S OUSTER AS ‘SMART’ MOVE AS RUSSIA, CHINA ENTER THE FRAY
A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)
This came as Trump said Wednesday he will keep Iran under a naval blockade until it agrees to a deal addressing U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.
The U.S. administration has demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment program, while Tehran maintains that enrichment is a sovereign right and nonnegotiable, leaving little room for compromise.
Windward AI noted a «cluster» sanctioned tankers spoofing locations and sighted to the West of the Strait of Hormuz.
«A cluster of 10 Iran-trading, U.S.-sanctioned tankers is now spoofing its AIS location to falsely appear at anchorages off Basrah, Iraq, as the blockade continues to constrict Iranian ports,» Windward explained.
«The vessels identified by Windward Multi-Source Intelligence are manipulating their signals to create a digital alibi,» the intelligence firm claimed.
«By broadcasting fake destination messages to Iraqi ports, the tankers appear to be in Iraqi waters while covertly sailing to Iran to load sanctioned oil.
US AND UKRAINE TARGET 1,000-VESSEL ‘DARK FLEET’ SMUGGLING SANCTIONED OIL WORLDWIDE
«Once loaded, the vessels re-emerge on AIS to suggest a legitimate Iraqi origin for the cargo.»
The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports began April 13 as part of a broader effort to pressure Iran into renegotiating limits on its nuclear program.
The blockade has unfolded in stages, starting with naval deployments and restricted maritime enforcement to limit Iran’s oil exports and economic activity.
Windward said more than two dozen tankers are currently confined west of Hormuz as of Wednesday, with the blockade cutting Iranian oil loadings and exports by more than half.
«This deceptive practice is under intensified scrutiny as the vessels are part of a larger group of more than two dozen tankers currently confined west of Hormuz,» the firm said.
«The handysize tanker Paola and Long Range One tanker Adena, both signaling ‘Iraqi owner’ but linked to a sanctioned network.»
TRUMP DECLARES ‘VENEZUELAN REGIME’ A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, ORDERS OIL TANKER BLOCKADE
Former President Donald Trump weighs a potential attack on Iran’s oil hub at Kharg Island amid expert predictions of market chaos. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)
The firm claimed three medium-range tankers, including Aqualis, Kush and Charminar, and the LPG carrier Royal H (IMO 9155341), which was newly sanctioned in February, are currently displaying «erratic voyage trails to suggest a loading at the Iraqi port of Khor Al Zubair.»
«The tell-tale spoofing signs, including erratic patterns and fake port signals, highlight the shifting tactics used by the dark fleet as the blockade more than halves Iranian oil loadings and exports,» the firm said.
Meanwhile. Iran’s Mohammad Ghalibaf slammed U.S. policymakers Wednesday, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, over the impact of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
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The parliamentary speaker cited «junk advice» and blamed the Treasury for pushing up oil prices.
«Three days in, no well exploded,» Ghalibaf said in a post shared on X.
us navy, middle east, war with iran, iran, sanctions
INTERNACIONAL
Inside Fauci’s private diary: What he wrote about Trump, TV personalities and celebrities
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Newly released diary entries by Dr. Anthony Fauci offer an unfiltered look at what the nation’s top infectious disease expert really thought of the politicians, television personalities and celebrities who filled his orbit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Released by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., the diaries chronicle Fauci’s day-to-day role during the COVID-19 pandemic through meetings, phone calls and personal observations. The release comes days before Fauci is scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee after being subpoenaed by Paul.
The entries feature everyone from President Donald Trump to Julia Roberts, Steph Curry, Larry Ellison and Hunter Biden, offering an unusually personal look at the people who crossed Fauci’s path during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early entries portray a warm working relationship between Fauci and Trump. Fauci wrote that Trump repeatedly directed questions to him during White House meetings, called him «the smartest person in the world,» told him, «We are counting on you,» and later appeared «enamored» with him as Fauci’s national profile grew.
FAUCI’S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED
President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci are seen during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing. Fauci’s newly released diary portrays an initially warm working relationship that later deteriorated as the pandemic unfolded. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Fauci’s relationship with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows deteriorated throughout the pandemic. Fauci wrote that Meadows threatened to keep him off television, repeatedly pushed him to soften his public messaging and, in one entry, recounted Meadows «screaming» over his public comments.
Fauci, however, repeatedly described then-White House communications director Alyssa Farah as an ally during internal battles over media appearances. In one May 2020 entry, he wrote that Farah admitted White House staff had been «holding me back,» said the situation had «gotten out of hand» and promised to begin clearing his television requests again.
Not everyone in the administration’s communications operation earned Fauci’s praise. In a July 2, 2020 entry, Fauci called then-HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michael Caputo «a con man who is completely full of sh–,» writing that Caputo publicly claimed to support his television appearances while privately blocking them.
Television journalists also became recurring figures in Fauci’s diary. CNN anchor Jake Tapper appears repeatedly, with Fauci documenting phone calls, text exchanges and dinners at the Tappers’ Washington home.
LEGACY MEDIA IGNORES MASSIVE ANTHONY FAUCI DOCUMENT RELEASE ALLEGING HE MISLED CONGRESS ON COVID ORIGINS
CNN anchor Jake Tapper appears repeatedly in Dr. Anthony Fauci’s newly released COVID-19 diary, which documents phone calls, text exchanges and dinners at Tapper’s Washington home. (Bryan Bedder/Variety/Getty Images)
Fauci wrote that Tapper privately checked to make sure a CNN interview hadn’t caused problems with the White House. When The Atlantic’s Peter Nicholas suggested Fauci had been «humiliated» over a canceled Tapper interview, Fauci fired back in his diary: «F— you, Peter.»
After Fauci’s heated exchange with Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Fauci wrote that CNN’s Dana Bash texted him, telling him he was «a better man» and relaying that fellow CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer had joked no one would have blamed Fauci if he had told Jordan to «go f— yourself.»
The following day, Fauci wrote that Bash texted him again, this time pointing him to a Vanity Fair headline mocking Jordan’s performance at the hearing.
The diary also features colorful asides about billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, whom Fauci described as «a bit of a loose cannon» while discussing White House efforts to use Oracle technology during the pandemic.
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Fauci served as chief medical adviser to President Donald Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic before later continuing in the role under President Joe Biden. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Beyond politicians and White House aides, Fauci’s diary reads at times like a Hollywood guest list. Actress Julia Roberts hosted Fauci on Instagram Live, sent him flowers and later presented him with an award, while Vogue editor Anna Wintour, comedian Trevor Noah, NBA star Steph Curry, actors Sean Penn and Matt Damon, and rapper Lil Wayne also make appearances as Fauci documented his growing celebrity during the pandemic.
The diary closes with another unexpected cameo. At the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors, Fauci wrote that he hugged Hunter Biden, who joked the internet «would explode» if someone photographed them together because they were both «being attacked by the far right GOP.»
anthony fauci, white house, donald trump, politics, fox news media, coronavirus
INTERNACIONAL
El precio del petróleo se desplomó más de un 5% tras la pausa en los ataques entre Estados Unidos e Irán
Los precios internacionales del petróleo iniciaron la semana con un marcado descenso después de que los mercados reaccionaran a una disminución temporal de la tensión entre Estados Unidos e Irán. La ausencia de nuevos ataques estadounidenses durante dos noches consecutivas generó expectativas de que ambas partes puedan retomar las negociaciones, lo que redujo la preocupación por una interrupción prolongada del suministro de crudo desde Medio Oriente.
En las primeras operaciones de los mercados asiáticos, el barril de Brent, referencia para buena parte del comercio mundial de petróleo, perdió un 5,58% y se situó en 91,38 dólares. En paralelo, el West Texas Intermediate (WTI), utilizado como referencia en Estados Unidos, descendió un 5,46% hasta los 84,43 dólares. La corrección puso fin al fuerte impulso alcista registrado durante las semanas anteriores, cuando el conflicto elevó el temor a una crisis energética de mayor alcance.
El movimiento del mercado estuvo estrechamente vinculado a la evolución del escenario geopolítico. Durante las últimas dos noches no se registraron nuevos bombardeos estadounidenses sobre Irán, una interrupción que fue interpretada por los operadores financieros como una señal de que aún existe margen para una solución negociada.
El embajador de Estados Unidos ante las Naciones Unidas, Mike Waltz, confirmó esa posibilidad al afirmar que el presidente Donald Trump está dando “un poco de margen” a los contactos diplomáticos con Teherán. No obstante, dejó claro que Washington mantiene abiertas todas las opciones.
“El ejército estadounidense (…) tiene todo lo necesario para llevar a cabo esta campaña con la eficacia que se requiere”, declaró durante una entrevista con Fox News.
El portavoz del ejército iraní, Mohammad Akraminia, aseguró que las operaciones de represalia fueron suspendidas tras el cese de los ataques estadounidenses.
“Estos ataques continuaron hasta hace dos noches, pero durante las dos últimas noches los estadounidenses han cesado sus ataques”, afirmó, al tiempo que agregó que, debido a que la estrategia iraní había sido responder a las ofensivas estadounidenses, “también hemos suspendido nuestras operaciones de represalia”.
La evolución del conflicto tiene un impacto directo sobre el mercado energético porque gran parte de las exportaciones mundiales de hidrocarburos dependen del estrecho de Ormuz. Ese corredor marítimo conecta el Golfo Pérsico con el océano Índico y, en condiciones normales, permite el tránsito de aproximadamente una quinta parte del petróleo y del gas natural licuado que se consume diariamente en el mundo.
Las tensiones militares en esa zona habían disparado las primas de riesgo durante las últimas semanas debido al temor de interrupciones en el transporte marítimo. La posibilidad de una disminución de las hostilidades alimentó la expectativa de que la navegación pueda normalizarse progresivamente, reduciendo así la presión sobre la oferta global de petróleo.
Sin embargo, el mercado continúa atento a otros factores que podrían alterar el equilibrio del suministro. Entre ellos figura el bloqueo marítimo anunciado por los rebeldes hutíes de Yemen contra puertos de Arabia Saudita, una medida que añade incertidumbre sobre las rutas comerciales de la región y mantiene elevado el nivel de vigilancia entre los operadores.
La caída de este lunes contrasta con la fuerte escalada registrada durante julio. A medida que aumentaban los enfrentamientos entre Washington y Teherán, el petróleo acumuló importantes ganancias impulsado por el temor a una expansión del conflicto. Antes de esta nueva escalada, un entendimiento alcanzado entre ambos países el 17 de junio había favorecido un descenso de las cotizaciones, con el Brent negociándose apenas por encima de los 70 dólares.
Aunque la pausa en las operaciones militares alivió momentáneamente la presión sobre los mercados energéticos, la evolución de las negociaciones entre Washington y Teherán seguirá siendo el principal factor para determinar el comportamiento del precio del petróleo en los próximos días.
Middle East
INTERNACIONAL
Europe will one day thank Trump for ‘shaking’ it out of its ‘complacency’: UK defense chief
Trump says NATO allies had a ‘bad moment’ for not helping in potential Iran war
President Donald Trump, speaking at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, criticizes Spain, Italy and the UK for not offering immediate support to the U.S. in a potential conflict with Iran. Trump describes their response as a ‘bad moment’ but later emphasizes the ‘tremendous unification’ among NATO members, expressing mutual love and respect.
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The U.K.’s new defense secretary said Sunday that Europe will ultimately thank President Donald Trump for waking up the continent from its complacency and forcing NATO allies to take responsibility for their own security.
Speaking on Sky News, Wes Streeting also signaled a rebalancing of the U.K. government’s transatlantic stance under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham while stating that Britain continued to refuse to back U.S. offensive military action against Iran.
«The first thing you do is you don’t suck up, and… my impression is President Trump, his administration… that’s not what they’re looking for, actually,» Streeting told Sky News anchor Trevor Phillips, stating his perspective on Washington.
«He’s a straight talker. He says what he means and means what he says.»
ANDY BURNHAM TAKES OVER AS UK PRIME MINISTER, CALLS FOR ‘NEW POLITICAL MODEL’
British Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting said that Europe will one day thank President Donald Trump for shaking Europe out of its strategic complacency and forcing NATO allies to shoulder more of their own defense. (Carl Court/Getty Images)
«I don’t know him, but I do trust the United States,» he added.
Streeting took charge of the U.K. Ministry of Defence on July 20, the same day Burnham became prime minister.
«I’ve not even been in the job a week. I’ve always been aware that the alliance between the U.S. and the U.K. is unlike any in the world, and of course, that’s historic, it’s cultural, it’s political,» Streeting said. «It’s driven by self-interest as well as mutual shared interests.»
During his first week in office, Streeting also had a call with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to discuss maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and broader NATO commitments.
«But just in my first week as defense secretary, I have had a unique insight into just how close and integral that relationship is when it comes to defense and security,» Streeting explained.
UK DEFENSE SHORTFALLS HIGHLIGHTED AS BRITAIN AVOIDS IRAN OFFENSIVE ROLE AMID TRUMP CRITICISM
Streeting said he was «very keen and pleased» to meet with his American counterpart, War Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
«And it’s one of the reasons why I was very keen and pleased in the first week to meet with my U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, where I was clear that we’ve not supported offensive action in Iran, and we won’t support offensive action in Iran,» he continued. «But there are plenty of things that we can and should do together when it comes to securing the Strait of Hormuz, in making sure that Iran doesn’t develop nuclear weapons, in terms of investing in our capability and NATO’s capability.»
Trump has long criticized European NATO members for failing to spend enough on defense, arguing they should shoulder a greater share of the alliance’s security burden.
WHO IS ANDY BURNHAM? THE TRUMP CRITIC SET TO BECOME THE UK’S NEXT PRIME MINISTER
«And one of the things I’d say about President Trump specifically… we don’t always like what he says. We don’t always like his methods,» Streeting said. (Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)
At July’s NATO summit in Turkey, Trump pressed allies to follow through on their commitments to increase defense spending.
«And one of the things I’d say about President Trump specifically: we don’t always like what he says, we don’t always like his methods,» Streeting said. «But I genuinely think when this period of history is written, Europe will thank President Trump for shaking us out of our complacency and forcing us to stand on our own two feet and end the period of overreliance on the United States for defense because what he said about Europe isn’t unique to President Trump, the MAGA movement or the Republican Party.»
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«This has been a longstanding grain of U.S. frustration with Europe under Democratic and Republican presidents, and in the world we live in, it is right that we can act to secure ourselves,» he added.
Streeting also said the U.K. could «act with our allies here in Europe and, of course, work with the United States without being overly dependent to the extent that NATO and Europe has been.»
Fox News Digital has reached out to 10 Downing Street for further comment.
united kingdom, andy burnham, donald trump, pentagon, iran
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