The United States Department of Justice went to the US District Court to try to confiscate two million barrels of oil. The agency argues that the raw materials came from Iran.

The cargo was transported on the “Achilles” tanker, owned by a Greek company. The US claims Iran has sent oil abroad secretly. They “tried to hide the origin of oil by transporting it from ship to ship, falsifying documents and other tools,” the department noted. If the US wins the case, it could channel the oil revenues into a government fund to help victims of terrorism.

Former US President Trump has applied sanctions on Iran, which hit Iranian oil exports. Its production in the country has fallen by almost half since the middle of 2018. Tehran increased its exports of raw materials in early 2021, hoping for a softening of policy under the new President of the States, Biden.