{
  "id": 1276736,
  "title": "China-based Hengli Group main importer of sanctioned Iranian crude oil, analysts say - report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/china-based-hengli-group-main-importer-of-sanctioned-iranian-crude",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-16T13:48:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905670"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hengli Group, a Chinese conglomerate with a workforce of over 300,000 and an annual revenue exceeding $100 billion, is identified as a leading importer of Iranian crude oil, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The source of this information includes input from industry analysts, shipping brokers, and officials from the US Treasury. The company operates within a network of major refineries in China that purchase oil subject to US sanctions, as cited by the WSJ.\n\nSince 2023, Hengli has secured at least five million barrels of Iranian oil from several sanction-imposed ships, as per statements from the US Treasury and shipping brokers. This has led to the Treasury sanctioning Hengli's refinery operations this year. However, China's Commerce Ministry has instructed companies not to comply with these sanctions, while the Foreign Ministry has labeled them as \"illegal and unreasonable unilateral sanctions.\"\n\nIran has been circumventing US sanctions and the ensuing blockade through a method known as ship-to-ship transfers. In this process, sanctioned ships carrying Iranian oil offload their cargo onto another vessel in the water before it is sent to China. The receiving ships are frequently part of Iran’s \"shadow fleet,\" a collection of antiquated, rusted tankers that obscure their ownership and may alter their flag to one of a country with limited shipping oversight, thereby concealing their true identities. These vessels often disable their tracking devices and may paint over identifying numbers.",
  "summary": "Hengli is one of the largest companies in a network of \"teapot\" refineries in China that purchase sanctioned oil, according to the officials cited by WSJ.",
  "key_points": [
    "Hengli Group, Chinese conglomerate, major Iranian crude importer",
    "Analysts report at least 5 million barrels of Iranian oil to Hengli since 2023",
    "US sanctions, Chinese Commerce Ministry, illegal unilateral sanctions"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}