Iranian crude and petroleum products continued to reach international markets despite years of US sanctions, with data compiled by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) identifying at least 154 vessels involved in transporting Iranian cargoes recorded at 19 ports in four countries.

The findings, contained in the EIA’s latest annual report submitted to the US Congress under the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act, underscore the resilience of Iran’s oil exports despite Washington’s long-running sanctions campaign, Tasnim News Agency reported on July 7.

The report does not explicitly state that 154 vessels carried Iranian oil in 2025. However, an analysis of the vessel and port lists contained in the report identifies 154 tankers associated with shipments of Iranian crude, condensate and petroleum products, while cargoes were recorded at 19 ports in China, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

China remained by far the principal destination, with 13 Chinese ports appearing in the report’s list of facilities receiving Iranian crude or condensate.

The EIA cautioned that the figures should be regarded as estimates because Iran’s oil trade frequently relies on practices designed to obscure cargo origins, including ship-to-ship transfers, changes of flag, altered ownership records and periods during which vessels switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders.

The agency said it relied largely on commercial vessel-tracking providers, including Vortexa, to compile the report and acknowledged that some shipments may not have been captured.

The publication comes as Iran seeks to rebuild oil exports following a temporary easing of US sanctions under a 60-day waiver issued after a US-Iran memorandum signed on June 17 ended almost four months of conflict and launched negotiations on a permanent peace agreement.

Iranian officials have said exports have recovered rapidly to pre-war levels of 1.66mn barrels per day since the US lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports after the interim deal.

Tehran is also looking to branch out beyond its traditional customer base. Iranian officials have confirmed contacts with former buyers, including Japan and India as the country seeks to build on the temporary sanctions relief and restore sales to Asian markets.

Analysts, however, say the sanctions waiver alone may not be enough to revive Iran’s oil trade fully. They argue that broader banking restrictions, insurance availability and shipping security in the Persian Gulf will remain critical factors in determining whether Iran can attract buyers beyond China during the current negotiation period.