(New York, NY) – United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Chairman Governor Jeb Bush and Ambassador Mark D. Wallace issued the following statement in response to Panama’s ambassador to the United States attacking UANI, after UANI called for its government to be held accountable for Iranian sanctions evasion during its August presidency of the U.N. Security Council:
“Panama’s ambassador to the United States in his response to our op-ed in The Hill engages in deflection, obfuscation, and offers no substantive critique of UANI’s findings. The scale of Panama’s de-listings is modest compared to the scale of the problem. For example, as of August 25, 2025, UANI has identified 215 Panama-flagged vessels that form part of the Ghost Armada of evading sanctions. That is greater than other flag registries like the Comoros which has 140 vessels engaged in sanctions evasion or Cameroon with 43 vessels.
“Panama also typically delists vessels only after U.S. sanctions or UANI investigative reports expose them. Panama simply removing the flag does not stop this practice. It enables a “catch me if you can” dynamic that sustains illicit trade.
“Panama’s ambassador highlights the new ban on registering oil tankers older than 15 years. But that is easy to circumvent. Ghost Armada fleet tankers can still transfer to other flags with less scrutiny or even operate under false flags. Without broader transparency or information sharing, the policy is largely symbolic.
“The Panamanian government claims cooperation with the U.S. Treasury Department and other partners, but there is little publicly auditable data on delisted vessels, investigations, or due diligence. If Panama were fully transparent, it would publish a real-time blacklist accessible to shipping markets and analysts.
“Panama’s ambassador raises the country’s “historic support” for Israel and the Jewish community. This argument is a trope which borders on antisemitism and seeks to excuse its behavior in resourcing the largest state-sponsor of antisemitism in the world. This is a political distraction meant to deflect from its failings on sanctions evasion, which provides resources for the Iranian regime to fuel terror attacks against Jews, Iranians, and others worldwide. The core issue is maritime security and sanctions enforcement, not domestic religious tolerance.
“Dismissing UANI as “not a legitimate authority” of the U.S. government ignores that UANI’s data is widely used by governments, insurers, and shipping companies. Panama often reacts to UANI’s disclosures, which underscores UANI’s credibility.
“Non-permanent membership on the Council doesn’t immunize Panama from criticism. In fact, it raises its standard of responsibility. If Panama is to preside over international sanctions debates at the U.N. Security Council, it must demonstrate genuine leadership in enforcement, not just rhetoric.
“Panama’s registry actions remain inconsistent and insufficient compared to the scale of Iranian sanctions evasion. Symbolic measures and after-the-fact de-listings do not equate with robust enforcement.”
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