A speedboat of Iran's Revolutionary Guard trains a weapon toward the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 by the Guards. Tasnim News Agency via AP, file
A speedboat of Iran's Revolutionary Guard trains a weapon toward the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 by the Guards. Tasnim News Agency via AP, file
A speedboat of Iran's Revolutionary Guard trains a weapon toward the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 by the Guards. Tasnim News Agency via AP, file
A speedboat of Iran's Revolutionary Guard trains a weapon toward the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 by the Guards. Tasnim News Agency via

Web of Lebanese companies may be shipping Iranian oil to Syria


  • English
  • Arabic

Tracking data and business records indicate a pair of shadowy Lebanon-based companies own and operate tankers illicitly transporting Iranian oil in the eastern Mediterranean. While there is no direct indication on the accounts, an analysis of one of the companies involved suggests the man running the operation may be a prominent Syrian businessman sanctioned by the United States.

Data from TankerTrackers.com, a US company closely tracking Iranian oil shipments, shows that the tankers Sandro and Jasmine have conducted transfers of Iranian oil to or from other vessels off Syria’s coast after turning off their location transponders.

Iran regularly uses “ghost ships” – tankers that have turned off their location transponders to obscure their movements – to carry out ship-to-ship transfers of oil in a bid to evade US sanctions on both Iran and Syria.

On July 25, the Iranian-flagged Suezmax tanker Silvia I, which is sanctioned by the US, conducted a ship-to-ship transfer of oil to the Sandro tanker a little under 20 kilometres off Syria’s coast, according to TankerTrackers.com.

Approximately 500,000 barrels of crude oil were delivered to the Sandro, TankerTrackers.com co-founder Samir Madani told The National. Since this ship-to-ship transfer, the Sandro has remained near Syria's coast, Mr Madani added.

The Sandro’s suspicious activities in the Mediterranean began after Lebanese firm Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) SAL became the registered owner and commercial manager of the vessel on May 30.

Five days later, the Sandro turned off its transponder south of Limassol, Cyprus, and since then has not reported its position, effectively disappearing from public sight.

However, TankerTrackers.com has used satellite imagery to track the vessel’s activities.

On June 26, the Sandro received approximately 350,000 barrels of refined oil from the Iran-flagged tanker Jasmine, TankerTrackers.com said, adding that the firm “could not see where the Sandro then took that oil cargo.”

The National
The National

The Jasmine is already on the radar of the US government for its illicit activities. On March 25, the US Treasury included the vessel on a list of tankers that have carried out ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum destined for Syria.  It stopped short of sanctioning the vessel.

Similar to the Sandro, the Jasmine has gone dark in the Mediterranean. It too is owned by a Lebanese firm. Africo 1 (Off-Shore) SAL became the registered owner and ship manager of the vessel on February 26.  Further commercial links exist between the tankers.

The two Lebanese firms that acquired the Sandro and Jasmine share the same owners, according to corporate records reviewed by The National.  These records reveal that Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) and Africo 1 (Off-Shore) came under new ownership in December 2018 and January 2019.

The firms' former legal representative told The National that the two companies, founded in 2011, were long dormant when they changed hands.

Neither firm engaged in maritime shipping under their previous owners, he added.

The three new listed owners of these companies – Marwan Ramadan, Bilal Atris and Khalid Deeb – are Lebanese nationals in their 30s who reside in central Beirut, according to copies of their IDs obtained by The National.  They could not be reached for comment.

Little information is publicly available on Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) and Africo 1 (Off-Shore).

In mid-July, Al-Watan published an article criticizing Syria’s Oil Ministry for awarding Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) a contract to process oil residues from eastern Syria.

In its analysis of the controversy, the Syria Report business newsletter said that there is a “high probability” that Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) is affiliated to Samer Foz, one of the most prominent businessmen in Syria.

By winning the contract, Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) is set to replace another Lebanese company, Synergy SAL Offshore, which processed eastern Syria oil residues in 2018.

Like it successor for the contract, Synergy SAL Offshore has been involved in Iranian oil shipments.

In June, the US sanctioned Synergy SAL Offshore for facilitating the shipment of Iranian oil to Syria.

“Synergy SAL (Offshore) has shipped tens of thousands of metric tons of Iranian oil into Syria in the past year by sea,” the US Treasury said in a press release.

There is also another tie between Synergy SAL (Offshore) and Sandro Overseas (Off Shore).

Both firms share the same address in downtown Beirut's Al-Azarieh Building office complex, according to their corporate records.  The National visited the address, a company providing virtual offices and co-working spaces.

Neither Synergy SAL Offshore nor Sandro Overseas (Off Shore) were present at the location.

Africo 1 (Off-Shore) also uses the Al-Azarieh Building as an address and was also not present at the office complex.

In another indication of Mr Foz’s involvement, when The National phoned the number listed on a Synergy SAL Offshore letterhead, the recipient denied the number was for the company. Instead, the receptionist said the number belonged to a different Beirut-based firm that corporate records lists Mr Foz as a part-owner.

Lebanese corporate records reviewed by The National showed that the other firm is minority-owned by Bashar Assi, a top Syrian businessman sanctioned by the EU in January 2019 for his role in Mr Foz's business ventures.

The US sanctioned Mr Foz in June, accusing the businessman of “profiting heavily from reconstruction efforts in Syria, including through luxury developments on land seized by the Syrian regime from its own people.”

“Samer Foz, his relatives, and his business empire have leveraged the atrocities of the Syrian conflict into a profit-generating enterprise,” the US Treasury Department statement said.

Points Classification

1. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 63

2. Arnaud Demare (France / FDJ) 38

3. Andre Greipel (Germany / Lotto) 25

4. Sonny Colbrelli (Italy / Bahrain) 24

5. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Dimension Data) 22

6. Taylor Phinney (U.S. / Cannondale) 21

7. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) 20

8. Thomas Boudat (France / Direct Energie) 20

9. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland / BMC Racing) 17

10. Michael Matthews (Australia / Sunweb) 17

The bio

Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district

Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school

Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family

His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people

Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned

Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel

SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY

Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)

Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson

Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)

Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)

Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino

Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

 

 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Fixtures and results:

Wed, Aug 29:

  • Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
  • Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
  • UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs

Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman

Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal

Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore

Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu, Sep 6: Final

Company info

Company name: Entrupy 

Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist

Based: New York, New York

Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.  

Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius. 

Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place. 

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
  • Brentford v Arsenal
  • Burnley v Brighton
  • Chelsea v Crystal Palace
  • Everton v Southampton
  • Leicester City v Wolves
  • Manchester United v Leeds United
  • Newcastle United v West Ham United
  • Norwich City v Liverpool
  • Tottenham v Manchester City
  • Watford v Aston Villa
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Super Saturday results

4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).

4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.

6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEric%20Barbier%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYoussef%20Hajdi%2C%20Nadia%20Benzakour%2C%20Yasser%20Drief%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24

New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)

British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell 
 

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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