Iran's national maritime carrier; has transported prohibited military-related cargo and facilitated shipments on behalf of and destined for Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and MODAFL subordinates, including the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), Defense Industries Organization (DIO), and Shahid Hemat Industrial Group (SHIG).

Has provided logistical services to MODAFL and to its subordinate entities for the transport of military-related cargo; has facilitated the transport of cargo for U.N.- and U.S.-sanctioned entities, falsified documents, used generic language to evade shipping authorities, and employed cover entities to conduct official business; has altered bills of lading by changing the consignee of a shipment after a shipment has left the port of origin, to conceal involvement in proliferation-sensitive activities; has sought to evade sanctions by transferring nominal ownership of vessels to Starry Shine and other co-located entities (including Top Glacier Company Limited, Top Prestige Trading Limited, and Ideal Success Investments Limited) while continuing to manage and operate the ships.

Has transported items controlled by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG); has allegedly transported hydraulic press machinery and copper discs, which are used in explosively formed penetrators (EEPs); has allegedly shipped military-related items to Hezbollah; has allegedly shipped military-related items on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC Quds Force.

In November 2009, allegedly transported a shipment of munitions, including Katyusha 107 mm rockets, Grad 20 122 mm rockets, and rocket fuses, on behalf of the IRGC Quds Force that was destined for Beirut, Lebanon and Latakia, Syria but was seized by Israel; in October 2009, allegedly facilitated a shipment of small arms ammunition manufactured by DIO and destined for Syria that was interdicted by the U.S. Navy in the Gulf of Suez; in January 2009, allegedly transported munitions from DIO destined for the Gaza Strip that was seized by Egypt.

In 2009, targeted by a Temporary Denial Order (TDO) issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, along with Tadbir Sanaat Sharif Technology Development Center (TSS) in Iran and Icarus Marine (Pty) Ltd. in South Africa, in connection with evidence that the denied parties were about to re-export a high-performance powerboat with U.S.-origin components for intended use by the IRGC Navy.

In 2008, allegedly shipped chemical weapons precursors from China; in 2007, transported a shipment of a precursor chemical destined for use at Parchin Chemical Industries in Iran's missile program.

Handed over its container shipping services to Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines (HDS Lines) in 2009; agents have included Impex Intercontinental Trading LLC; jointly established Pars Petrochemical Shipping Company (PPSC) with the National Iranian Tanker Co. (NITC) and Iran Petrochemical Company (IPC).

Main shipping activities have included container transportation, bulk and general cargo transportation, shipping services in the Caspian Sea, ship management, cargo and passenger transportation, and maritime insurance services.

Owns or controls the following companies:

• E-Sail Shipping Company
• Iran o Hind Shipping Company
• IRISL Benelux NV
• South Way Shipping Agency Co. Ltd (Iran) (South Shipping Line Iran)

Has also owned or controlled the following companies:

• Bis Maritime Limited (Barbados)
• Fasirus Marine Corporation (Barbados)
• Galliot Maritime Incorporation (Barbados)
• Tamalaris Consolidated Ltd (British Virgin Islands)
• Acena Shipping Company Limited (Cyprus)
• Bright Jyoti Shipping (Cyprus)
• Lancelin Shipping Company Ltd (Cyprus)
• Western Surge Shipping Company Limited (Cyprus)
• Diamond Shipping Services (DDS) (Egypt)
• Bright-Nord GmbH und Co. KG (Germany)
• Cosy-East GmbH und Co. KG (Germany)
• Darya Capital Administration GMBH (Germany)
• Eighth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Eleventh Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Fifteenth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Fifth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• First Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Fourteenth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Fourth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Great West GmbH und Co. KG (Germany)
• Hanseatic Trade Trust & Shipping (HTTS) GmbH (Germany)
• IRISL Europe GmbH (Germany)
• Happy-Süd GmbH und Co. KG (Germany)
• Nari Shipping and Chartering GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
• NHL Basic Ltd. (Germany)
• NHL Nordland GmbH (Germany)
• Ninth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Ocean Capital Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Second Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Seventh Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Sixteenth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Sixth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Tenth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Third Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Thirteenth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Twelfth Ocean Administration GmbH (Germany)
• Elegant Target Development Limited (Hong Kong)
• Eternal Expert Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Giant King Limited (Hong Kong)
• Golden Charter Development Ltd (Hong Kong)
• Golden Summit Investments Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Golden Wagon Development Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Grand Trinity Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Great Equity Investments Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Great Prospect Internatioal Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Harvest Supreme Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Key Charter Development Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• King Prosper Investments Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Master Supreme International Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Metro Supreme International Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Modern Elegant Development Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Prosper Basic GmbH (Hong Kong)
• Prosper Metro Investments (Hong Kong)
• Seibow Logistics Limited (Hong Kong)
• Silver Universe Ltd. (Hong Kong)
• Sparkle Brilliant Development Limited (Hong Kong)
• Bushehr Shipping Company Limited (Iran)
• Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines (HDLS) (Iran)
• Irano Misr Shipping Company (Iran)
• IRISL Club (Iran)
• IRISL Marine Services and Engineering Company (Iran)
• IRISL Maritime Training Institute (Iran)
• IRISL Multimodal Transport Company (Iran)
• Khazer Shipping Lines (Bandar Anzali) (Iran)
• Kheibar Co. (Iran)
• Kish Shipping Line Manning Co. (Iran)
• Rahbaran Omid Darya Ship Management Company (Soroush Saramin Astair) (Iran)
• Rishi Maritime Incorporation (Iran)
• Safiran Payam Darya (SAPID) Shipping Company (Sapid Shipping Co) (Iran)
• Shipping Computer Services Company (SCSCOL) (Iran)
• Valfajr 8th Shipping Line Co. (Iran)
• Ashtead Shipping Company (Isle of Man)
• Byfleet Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Cobham Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Dorking Shipping Company (Isle of Man)
• Effingham Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Elbrus Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Farnham Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Gomshall Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• Horsham Shipping Company Ltd (Isle of Man)
• IRITAL Shipping SRL (Italy)
• Alpha Kara Navigation Limited (Malta)
• Alpha Nari Navigation Limited (Malta)
• Balsam Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Beta Kara Navigation (Malta)
• Camellia Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Carnation Sea Transportation Ltd. (Malta)
• Chaplet Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Delta Kara Navigation Ltd (Malta)
• Delta Nari Navigation Ltd (Malta)
• Epsilon Nari Navigation Ltd (Malta)
• Eta Nari Navigation Ltd. (Malta)
• Gamma Kara Navigation Ltd (Malta)
• Heliotrope Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Helix Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Ifold Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Iota Nari Navigation Limited (Malta)
• IRISL (Malta) Ltd (Malta)
• ISI Maritime Limited (Malta)
• ISIM Amin Limited (Malta)
• Isim Atr Limited (Malta)
• Isim Olive Limited (Malta)
• Isim Sat Limited (Malta)
• ISIM Sea Chariot Ltd (Malta)
• ISIM Sea Crescent Ltd (Malta)
• ISIM Sinin Limited (Malta)
• ISIM Taj Mahal Ltd (Malta)
• Isim Tour Company Limited (Malta)
• Jackman Shipping Company (Malta)
• Kalan Kish Shipping Company Ltd (Malta)
• Kappa Nari Navigation Ltd (Malta)
• Kerman Shipping Company Ltd (Malta)
• Kingswood Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Lambda Nari Navigation Limited (Malta)
• Lancing Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Malship Shipping Agency (Malta)
• Marble Shipping Limited (Malta)
• Midhurst Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Modality Ltd. (Malta)
• Oxted Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Petworth Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• Reigate Shipping Company Limited (Malta)
• TEU Feeder Limited (Malta)
• Theta Nari Navigation (Malta)
• Woking Shipping Investments (Malta)
• Zeta Nari Navigation (Malta)
• Brait Holding SA (Marshall Islands)
• Elcho Holding Ltd (Marshall Islands)
• Ocean Express Agencies Private Limited (Pakistan)
• Damalis Marine Corporation (Panama)
• Indus Maritime Incorporation (Panama)
• Kaveri Maritime Incorporation (Panama)
• Melodious Maritime Incorporation (Panama)
• Mount Everest Maritime Inc. (Panama)
• Statira Maritime Incorporation (Panama)
• Hong Tu Logistics Private Limited (Singapore)
• Leading Maritime Pte Ltd (Asia Marine Network Pte. Ltd.) (Singapore)
• Sinose Maritime Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)
• CISCO Shipping Company (South Korea)
• Universal Transportation Limitation Utl (Thailand)
• Aspasis Marine Corporation (United Arab Emirates)
• Azores Shipping Company (United Arab Emirates)
• Bright Ship FZC (United Arab Emirates)
• Crystal Shipping FZE (United Arab Emirates)
• Good Luck Shipping Company (United Arab Emirates)
• Narmada Shipping (United Arab Emirates)
• Pacific Shipping (United Arab Emirates)
• Fairway Shipping Limited (United Kingdom)
• Irinvestship Ltd (United Kingdom)
• Avrasya Container Shipping Lines
• Hazaru Shipping
• Kaveri Shipping Llc
• Magna Carta Limited
• Newhaven Shipping Company Limited
• Shine Star Limited
• Top Glacier Company Limited
• Top Prestige Trading Limited
• Tulip Shipping Inc.

Connected to the following vessels, all of which appear on the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list:

• AAJ (IMO: 8984484; Flag: Iran)
• Abba (IMO: 9051624; Flag: Iran)
• Abtin 1 (IMO: 9379636; Flag: Iran)
• Abyan (IMO: 9349667; Flag: Iran)
• Alvan (IMO: 9165798; Flag: Iran)
• Amina (IMO: 9305192; Flag: Iran)
• Andia (IMO: 9193197; Flag: Iran)
• Ardavan (IMO: 9465863; Flag: Iran)
• Arezoo (IMO: 9165786; Flag: Iran)
• Aries (IMO: 9369722; Flag: Iran)
• Arsham (IMO: 9386500; Flag: Iran)
• Artabaz (IMO: 9283007; Flag: Iran)
• Artam (IMO: 9284154; Flag: Iran)
• Artaria (IMO: 9226944; Flag: Iran)
• Artavand (IMO: 9193214; Flag: Iran)
• Artenos (IMO: 9283021; Flag: Iran)
• Artin (IMO: 9305221; Flag: Iran)
• Artman (IMO: 9405930; Flag: Iran)
• Arvin (IMO: 9193202; Flag: Iran)
• Arzin (IMO: 9284142; Flag: Iran)
• Avang (IMO: 9465746; Flag: Iran)
• Aynaz (IMO: 9683570; Flag: Iran)
• Aysan (IMO: 9165803; Flag: Iran)
• Azargoun (IMO: 9283019; Flag: Iran)
• Bahjat (IMO: 9405954; Flag: Iran)
• Basht (IMO: 9346536; Flag: Iran)
• Baskar (IMO: 9405942; Flag: Iran)
• Batis (IMO: 9465760; Flag: Iran)
• Bavand (IMO: 9387798; Flag: Iran)
• Behdad (IMO: 9051636; Flag: Iran)
• Behdokht (IMO: 9405978, Flag: Iran)
• Behnavaz (IMO: 9346548; Flag: Iran)
• Behshad (IMO: 9167289; Flag: Iran)
• Behta (IMO: 9349590; Flag: Iran)
• Brelyan (IMO: 9138056; Flag: Iran)
• Canreach (f.k.a. Hamoun; IMO: 9820271; Flag: Hong Kong)
• Caspia (IMO: 9125126; Flag: Panama)
• Daryabar (IMO: 9369710; Flag: Iran)
• Delice (IMO: 9125138; Flag: Iran)
• Delnavaz (IMO: 9387803; Flag: Iran)
• Delruba (IMO: 9305207; Flag: Iran)
• Devrez (IMO: 9120994; Flag: Iran)
• Dorita (IMO: 8605234; Flag: Iran)
• Elyana (IMO: 9165827; Flag: Iran)
• Fanreach (f.k.a. Barzin; IMO: 9820269; Flag: Hong Kong)
• Firouzeh (IMO: 9103099; Flag: Iran)
• Ganj (IMO: 9305219; Flag: Iran)
• Gilda (IMO: 9367982; Flag: Iran)
• Golafruz (IMO: 9323833; Flag: Iran)
• Golbon (IMO: 9283033; Flag: Iran)
• Golsan (IMO: 9165815; Flag: Iran)
• Golsar (IMO: 9193185; Flag: Iran)
• Goodreach (f.k.a. Radin; IMO: 9820257; Flag: Hong Kong)
• Hamd (IMO: 9036052; Flag: Iran)
• Hamgam (IMO: 9226956; Flag: Iran)
• Hormuz 2 (IMO: 7904580; Flag: Iran)
• Hyundai Mipo 2655 (a.k.a. Yard No. 2655 Hyundai M.D.; IMO: 9820312; Flag: Iran)
• Hyundai Mipo 2656 (a.k.a. Yard No. 2656 Hyundai M.D.; IMO: 9820324; Flag: Iran)
• Hyundai Mipo 2657 (a.k.a. Yard No. 2657 Hyundai M.D.; IMO: 9820336; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Charak (IMO: 8322076; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Hormuz 12 (a.k.a. Iran Hormoz 12; IMO: 9005596; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Hormuz 14 (a.k.a. Iran Hormoz 14; IMO: 9020778; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Hormuz 25 (a.k.a. Hayan; IMO: 8422072; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Parak (IMO: 8322064; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Shahed (IMO: 9184691; Flag; Iran)
• Iran Shalak (IMO: 8319940; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Shalamcheh (a.k.a. IR. Shalamche, Sepehr Sam; IMO: 8820925; Flag: Iran)
• Iran Youshat (IMO: 8319952; Flag: Iran)
• Jairan (IMO: 9167291; Flag: Iran)
• Kados (IMO: 9137258; Flag: Iran)
• Kasma (IMO: 8721351; Flag: Iran)
• Khuran (IMO: 9032666; Flag: Togo)
• Kiazand (IMO: 9465758; Flag: Iran)
• Mahnam (IMO: 9213387; Flag: Iran)
• Mena (IMO: 8909472; Flag: Togo)
• Miami Pride (IMO: 9274941; Flag: Togo)
• Nardis (IMO: 9137246; Flag: Iran)
• Negar (IMO: 9165839; Flag: Iran)
• Negeen (IMO: 9071519; Flag: Iran)
• Neshat (IMO: 9167277; Flag: Iran)
• Noor 1 (IMO: 9506320; Flag: Iran)
• Oura (IMO: 9387815; Flag: Iran)
• Parand (IMO: 9118551; Flag: Iran)
• Parin (IMO: 9076478; Flag: Iran)
• Parisan (IMO: 9465851; Flag: Iran)
• Parmis (IMO: 9245316; Flag: Iran)
• Parnia (IMO: 9167265; Flag: Iran)
• Parshad (IMO: 9387786; Flag: Iran)
• Parshan (IMO: 9051648; Flag: Iran)
• Patris (IMO: 9137210; Flag: Iran)
• Perarin (IMO: 9209350; Flag: Iran)
• Roshak (IMO: 9405966; Flag: Iran)
• Sabrina (IMO: 8215742; Flag: Iran)
• Sania (IMO: 9367994; Flag: Iran)
• Sarina (IMO: 8203608; Flag: Iran)
• Sarir (IMO: 9368003; Flag: Iran)
• Sarvin (IMO: 9209348; Flag: Iran)
• Saviz (IMO: 9167253; Flag: Iran)
• Shabdis (IMO: 9349588; Flag: Iran)
• Shabgoun (IMO: 9346524; Flag: Iran)
• Shahr e Kord (IMO: 9270684; Flag: Iran)
• Shahraz (IMO: 9349576; Flag: Iran)
• Shamim (IMO: 9270658; Flag: Iran)
• Shayan 1 (IMO: 9420356; Flag: Iran)
• Shiba (IMO: 9270646; Flag: Iran)
• Sobhan (IMO: 9036935; Flag: Iran)
• Somia (IMO: 9368015; Flag: Iran)
• Taban 1 (IMO: 9420368; Flag: Iran)
• Tabuk (IMO: 8917467; Flag: Togo)
• Taradis (IMO: 9245304; Flag: Iran)
• Tenreach (f.k.a. Rayen; IMO: 9820245; Flag: Hong Kong)
• Termeh (IMO: 9213399; Iran)
• Touska (IMO: 9328900; Flag: Iran)
• Viana (IMO: 9010723; Flag: Iran)
• Vista (IMO: 9010711; Flag: Iran)
• Warta (IMO: 9465849; Flag: Iran)
• Yaran (IMO: 9420370; Flag: Iran)
• Zardis (IMO: 9349679; Flag: Iran)
• Zomoroud (IMO: 9138044; Flag: Iran)

Has maintained offices in Belgium (Antwerp), China (Shanghai), Germany (Hamburg), Hong Kong, Italy (Milan), Japan (Tokyo), Libya (Tripoli), Singapore, South Africa (Durban), South Korea (Seoul), United Arab Emirates (Dubai), and the United Kingdom (London).

Reportedly headed by Mohammadreza Modares Khiabani.

Company IMO number is 0095998; Iranian trade license number is 11670; established in 1967.

Sanctions

Designated by the U.S. Department of State on December 11, 2019 (effective June 8, 2020), pursuant to Executive Order 13382; added on June 8, 2020 to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), freezing its assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems; on November 5, 2018, as part of the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran, designated pursuant to Executive Order 13599, which targets the property of the Government of Iran and Iranian financial institutions, and to the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act; foreign parties facilitating transactions for the entity or otherwise assisting the entity are subject to U.S. sanctions; subject to the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations; foreign financial institutions facilitating transactions for the entity may be prohibited from opening or maintaining correspondent or payable-through accounts in the United States.

Targeted by a temporary denial order (TDO) issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce on January 23, 2009, forbidding participation for 180 days in export transactions involving items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

Named in U.N. Security Council resolution 1803 of March 3, 2008, as a company for which cargo to and from Iran aboard vessels it owns or operates should be inspected by all states, provided there are reasonable grounds to believe that such vessels are transporting prohibited goods; named in U.N. Security Council resolution 1929 of June 9, 2010, which requested that member states communicate information on the transfer of vessels owned or operated by IRISL to other companies, and other activity that may have been undertaken in order to evade sanctions, including the renaming and re-registering of vessels; provisions of resolutions 1803 and 1929, terminated in January 2016 by U.N. Security Council resolution 2231.