KUALA LUMPUR – Iran is reliant on service providers based in Malaysia to move its oil near Singapore and throughout the region, said a senior official at the US Treasury Department.
Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, said the US saw Iranian oil being transferred near Singapore and in the region.
He added that the US is also trying to prevent Malaysia from being used by Hamas to fundraise and move money, reported Reuters.
Nelson was on a four-day visit to Singapore and Malaysia, as his department is scrutinising fundraising and illicit sales of Iranian oil routed through Southeast Asia to finance militant groups.
In December, four Malaysia-based companies were hit with US sanctions after being accused of being fronts in support of drone manufacturing in Iran. – May 7, 2024