How purchases of sanctioned Iranian jet fuel were disguised by Myanmar

In December 2025, the US-sanctioned tanker Reef carried approximately 113,000 barrels of Iranian jet fuel to Myanmar, disguised as South African diesel through sham paperwork. The scheme involved Myanmar's military junta, which authorized mislabeling the fuel as diesel. SynMax Intelligence tracked the tanker from Iran's Bandar Abbas port. The trade underscores the reach and limits of US sanctions.

In December 2025, the US-sanctioned tanker Reef arrived in Myanmar waters carrying approximately 113,000 barrels of Iranian jet fuel, disguised through sham paperwork as South African diesel. The deception was orchestrated by Myanmar-based energy broker Dynamic Wave, which signed a sales contract with Thailand's Tawan-Oil Trading for a supposed delivery of South African diesel. However, no such trade between South Africa and Myanmar occurred in 2025, according to UN and Vortexa data. The ruse was needed because the US imposed sanctions on Myanmar's jet-fuel industry in 2023, citing the military's deadly bombing campaign against civilians. Myanmar's military junta was involved: days before Reef's arrival, the foreign exchange regulator told Dynamic Wave's client it would issue import documentation labeling the delivery as diesel instead of jet fuel. The tanker's journey from Iran's Bandar Abbas port was tracked by SynMax Intelligence. The scheme highlights both the impact and limitations of US sanctions, as Iranian jet fuel continues to flow to Myanmar, earning Tehran foreign currency and enabling Myanmar's commercial and military aviation.