Reuters: Myanmar Used Forged Documents to Import Iranian Jet Fuel, Bypassing Sanctions

A Reuters investigation revealed that Myanmar's ruling military junta used misleading commercial documents to conceal the import of jet fuel from Iran, by registering shipments as diesel sourced from South Africa, in an attempt to bypass US sanctions imposed on both countries.

The investigation relied on commercial contracts, official correspondence, shipping data, and satellite images, which uncovered details of a $15.8 million deal involving companies from Myanmar and Thailand, resulting in the arrival of an Iranian fuel shipment in Myanmar in December 2025.

This information is particularly significant given the reliance of the Myanmar army on warplanes in its operations against opponents, amid UN accusations of airstrikes that have killed thousands of people, including civilians, since the military coup in 2021.

Iranian Shipment with South African Papers

According to the Reuters investigation, the oil tanker "Reef," which is under US sanctions, arrived in Myanmar's territorial waters in December 2025, carrying approximately 113,000 barrels of fuel.

Deal documents showed that "Dynamic Wave," an energy trading intermediary based in Myanmar, contracted with Thai company "Tawan Oil Trading" to purchase a shipment of diesel supposedly coming from South Africa.

However, United Nations data and Fortixsa, a company specializing in tracking energy shipments, showed no record of similar trade between South Africa and Myanmar during 2025.

An analysis conducted by Sinmax Intelligence, based on satellite imagery and shipping records, revealed that the tanker actually carried jet fuel from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas before heading to Southeast Asia.

According to the agency, documents describing the shipment as South African diesel were used to hide its true origin and the nature of the transported fuel.

Secret Document Reveals Role of Authorities

Among the key findings of the investigation was a letter issued by Myanmar's Foreign Exchange Regulatory Board, dated November 30, 2025, which included approval to classify the shipment as diesel "instead of jet fuel."

According to a copy of the document seen by Reuters, the board informed a client of "Dynamic Wave" that it would issue import documents according to the modified classification, days before the tanker's arrival.

The letter also allowed the company and its client "National Energy Prime Aviation Services," in which the military-backed government holds a stake, to transfer the value of the deal to the Thai company.

The human rights organization "Justice for Myanmar" provided these documents to Reuters, explaining that they obtained them from an electronic server belonging to the military junta that was briefly available to the public.

The document did not explain the reason for changing the shipment's classification, but the investigation suggests that these measures helped conceal the sanctioned jet fuel trade.

Neither the two companies involved nor the authorities in Myanmar or the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to requests for comment sent by Reuters.