[Alleged UAE Transport of $3 Billion in Cash to Iran]
Reuters reported in June that the UAE had agreed to unfreeze a batch of restricted assets belonging to Iran, in an effort to ease bilateral tensions and prevent potential security threats. By August, Reuters and the Asia Security & Defense website disclosed that a Boeing 737 business jet operated by the UAE Royal Flight (registration A6-RJA) made consecutive two-day stopovers at an airport near Tehran on August 11 and 12, remaining for approximately one hour each time before returning. More recently, the same aircraft was observed en route to Iran again. Social media sources claimed the flight carried not only cash but also two tons of gold valued at $283 million. The UAE later denied these claims; however, according to the most recent available information, the aircraft has transported a total of $3 billion to Tehran across multiple missions.
Iran is currently under stringent U.S. sanctions, compounded by the recent imposition of sweeping secondary sanctions under the Trump administration. Any electronic transfers via conventional banking channels would be highly susceptible to detection by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Such exposure could risk triggering sanctions against the UAE’s financial sector, potentially leading to exclusion from the U.S. dollar system. As a result, physical transport of cash by air has emerged as a method to circumvent American sanctions and extraterritorial enforcement.
Notably, according to external observations, there have been no reports of Iranian attacks on the UAE between August and October. Meanwhile, data from energy tracking agencies indicate that oil exports from the Fujairah port reached a record daily volume of 2.62 million barrels in September, suggesting that the UAE’s land-based export infrastructure is now operating normally.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879476712588300/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.