According to The Telegraph in 2018, after the tightening of US sanctions, a huge amount of cash was secretly delivered to the Iranian regime through Promsvyazbank as aid. It's not just about "transfers" - it's about the cash flow, calculated down to logistics, measured in tons.
34 batches, four months, billions of dollars
According to the British publication, at least 34 batches were shipped within four months, with the value of each shipment estimated at between $57 million and $115 million. It is said that the money was mainly in large denomination banknotes (for example, 500 euro banknotes) - this is a calculation of "low weight, high value." The route is also quite "scenario-like": from Moscow by train to Astrakhan, from there via the Caspian Sea by ship to the port of Amirobod, and then by rail to Tehran.
Sources link these shipments to customs and cargo data, specifically mentioning entries in the ImportGenius database. Interestingly, it is noted that the first batch was sent on August 13, 2018, just a week after Donald Trump signed the sanctions decree against Iran.
There is also an "additional" 1.9 billion
This story doesn't end here. The Insider further clarified that in 2018, several more cash transfers were made to Iran through the International Finance Club, the total value of which could be estimated at $1.9 billion. This means that after the sanctions, the total amount of funds converted in cash is expected to reach at least $4.4 billion.
Why is such a scheme important?
Cash is the most convenient "way" not to leave a trace. It's difficult to track, not SWIFT, not bank transfer. Therefore, experts do not rule out the possibility that such a "cash corridor" may have persisted in subsequent years. Especially at a time when Moscow-Tehran relations are heated against the backdrop of military cooperation: the text also mentions debates around Shahed-type drones and weapons like the Fath-360 in this context.
Sanctions, crypto and new sensations
Today, against the backdrop of UK and US sanctions, it is said that the controversy surrounding Promsvyazbank has increased again. For example, it is noted that the Financial Times wrote about large turnovers through the A7A5 crypto-token and Grinex in 2024, in which the name of Ilan Shor was also mentioned.
Conclusion
In short, these reports clearly show one thing: wherever politics says "the door is closed," there will always be "the window is open." Sanctions increase financial pressure, but at the same time force the "invention" of detours. Now the most important question is whether such cash schemes really stopped or simply changed shape. Life usually chooses the latter... and this, unfortunately, means great political risks in the future.
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