Duval Times

Earlier this year, the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act (SHIP) was enacted. However, the Biden-Harris Administration has not met the deadlines to impose sanctions on relevant entities, and there is no indication that the administration will fully implement the law. Instead, it seems focused on maintaining a conciliatory approach towards Iran as it continues to benefit financially from its relationship with China.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Jim Risch issued a joint statement criticizing the administration's handling of the situation. They stated: “While Iran continues to fuel terror from the sales of illicit oil, which mostly benefit Beijing, the Biden-Harris Administration has failed to fully implement the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act. The State Department may highlight its commitment to enforcing this law, but this administration’s failure to impose sanctions against individuals and entities tied to Communist China’s purchase of Iranian oil is deeply disturbing. On October 7, 2023, the world witnessed Tehran’s evil nature and the U.S. must do everything in our power to cripple Iran’s vital sources of revenue.”

In September 2024, Senator Rubio and his colleagues sent a letter to President Biden expressing their concerns about his administration's lack of enforcement regarding this law.