‘With us or against us’: US sanctions Indian couple over Iran links

The US has sanctioned an Indian couple and several entities associated with them for allegedly assisting Iran in avoiding oil trade sanctions by falsifying ship registrations and certifications.

The US Treasury said the two were Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, who are from Chandigarh. “They facilitated the operation of a network that provided false flags and maritime documentation to vessel owners subject to US sanctions, for sanctioned vessels hauling Iranian petroleum, including vessels owned by the Iranian military and its proxies,” Treasury said.

The network created bogus maritime registries that purported to be on behalf of countries including Guyana, Eswatini and Laos, the Treasury said. Their operations are said to date back to 2014.

The Treasury also designated the couple’s India-based firms and two other Indian nationals linked to their companies.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned those backing Tehran.

“Like we say all the time, under Operation Economic Outcast, you’re either with us or against us. We know where you are, and we will sanction those who continue supporting the Iranian regime, whether by land, sea, or air,” Bessent said.

He said these false flags and fake certifications let ships evade international safety and environmental standards and expose nations to significant damage without insurance protection.

The measures are part of the Trump administration’s Operation Economic Outcast, aimed at disrupting Iran’s oil revenues and sanctions-evasion networks.