United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has said that there is information the US military is using refined fuel sourced from Iranian crude shipments to Asia.

Iran International’s congressional correspondent Arash Alaei reported that Sen. Ernst who was speaking at the weekly Senate bi-partisan press conference, mentioned that Iranian and Russian crude oil is refined and indirectly sold to the US military.

After the press conference she told Alaei that the information has come to light “just recently” but did not elaborate how and if the US executive branch is investigating the issue. She added that wording was added to the National Defense Authorization Act apparently to prevent the practice. She mentioned however that the crude is being processed in South Korean and Japanese refineries.

The US has sanctioned Iranian oil and refined fuel exports since the 2018, when former president Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran known as the JCPOA. Third parties are also prohibited from trading in Iranian oil and could be subjected to US sanctions.

Iran International immediately asked for comment from the State Department but so far there has been no response.

Regarding Iranian oil sales to China despite US sanctions, Sen. Ernst said, “certainly we can look at ways to put pressure on China, but it would be very difficult” to stop it.