Xin Rui Ji
Native name | 鑫瑞吉貿易有限公司 |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private company |
| Industry | Oil trade |
| Founded | April 2023 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong |
Area served | China, Southeast Asia |
| Products | Crude oil |
| Services | Oil brokering, ship-to-ship transfers, falsified trade documentation |
Xin Rui Ji (XRJ) is a Hong Kong-registered company alleged to function as a front entity for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran in a global oil-smuggling network. Incorporated in April 2023, XRJ is not known to have any real commercial operations and is widely regarded by investigators as a corporate façade designed to facilitate covert crude oil transactions, primarily aimed at bypassing international sanctions imposed on Iran’s petroleum sector.
Corporate Profile
Xin Rui Ji was incorporated in Hong Kong in April 2023 with a single nominal director of Chinese nationality and no declared paid-up capital. Although nominally a Chinese company, evidence drawn from e-mail metadata and corporate documents shows that XRJ is operationally tied to the Iran-based Sepehr Energy Jahannama Pars (SEJP), an entity with direct links to the IRGC. XRJ communications reportedly use the same phone numbers and mail servers as SEJP executives Majid Azami and Elyas Niroumand Toumaj, both of whom were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2023 for their roles in illicit Iranian oil exports.Iran International.[1]
XRJ’s primary function appears to be that of a front-line “buyer” in oil transactions, receiving Iranian crude from the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and re-selling it under falsified origin labels such as Malaysian, Emirati, or Iraqi blends.[1]
Operations and methods
Paperless transfers
A key feature of XRJ's role involves instructing that oil be discharged without a bill of lading, a move designed to eliminate normal shipping traceability. This practice was confirmed in an August 2023 communication between SEJP and NITC.[1]
Ship-to-Ship transfers
XRJ reportedly makes extensive use of ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in international waters near Singapore and Malaysia. Crude is transferred to so-called “ghost fleet” vessels—tankers that disable their automatic identification system (AIS) or spoof locations before transporting the cargo to China.[1]
Falsified documentation
The company is said to rebrand Iranian crude in shipping and customs documentation as products like Mal Blend, Basrah Medium, or Omani crude to obscure its Iranian origin and circumvent refinery compliance filters.[1]
Distribution to end-users
According to the non-governmental organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), at least 6.95 million barrels of crude moved under XRJ’s name to Chinese independent refiners, known as “teapots,” using tankers such as URI, YUG, NESO, and KONGM.[2]
Example transactions
One documented transaction involved XRJ negotiating a crude oil sale with the Dutch-registered Gemini Group in September 2023. The deal was temporarily halted when Gemini expressed concern over potential sanctions but ultimately expressed willingness to proceed despite the risk.[1]
Regulatory and sanctions status
As of 13 May 2025, XRJ itself is not listed on the U.S. Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.[3] However, its known affiliates, including SEJP and its executives, have been sanctioned. Tankers linked to the IRGC’s “shadow fleet” involved in XRJ transactions, such as BIG MAG, IMPALAS, and SKADI, were added to the SDN list in May 2025.[3]
The lack of a direct designation for XRJ has created a compliance loophole for financial institutions and shippers. U.S. officials have hinted at ongoing investigations and potential future sanctions targeting XRJ itself.[3]
Compliance risks and red flags
Compliance experts warn of several indicators that may flag IRGC-related oil smuggling activity involving XRJ:
- STS delivery requested without a bill of lading.[2]
- Cargo falsely labeled as Mal Blend but shipped via Iranian tankers.[2]
- Payment routed through newly formed entities in Hong Kong or Singapore.[2]
- Frequent use of re-flagged or renamed tankers, often flying flags of convenience (e.g., Panama, Cameroon, Cook Islands).[2]
Outlook and enforcement
XRJ is considered a likely candidate for inclusion in future U.S. or EU sanctions tranches. U.S. enforcement authorities have focused increasingly on Hong Kong and mainland Chinese logistics firms. Concurrently, the EU is expected to introduce stricter rules mirroring the U.S. “50 percent rule,” which would automatically sanction XRJ upon confirmation of its SEJP affiliation.[3]
Regulatory pressure is also growing on Singapore and Malaysia to monitor STS activity more closely, potentially impacting XRJ’s operating space.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Anvari, Amirhadi (2025-05-12). "Iranian military front company masked identity to sell oil, documents show". www.iranintl.com. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ a b c d e Jungman, Claire; Roth, Daniel (February 28, 2025). "Uncovering the Chinese Purchasers of Iranian Oil".
- ^ a b c d e "Iran-related Designations | Office of Foreign Assets Control". ofac.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-13.