Adani Under U.S. Scrutiny Over Alleged Iran LPG Links; Denies Involvement, Says Unaware of Investigation
Industrialist Gautam Adani’s business empire is once again under international scrutiny, with a Wall Street Journal report claiming that U.S. prosecutors are investigating whether Adani Group companies violated American sanctions by importing Iranian petrochemical products into India. The shipments allegedly came through Gujarat’s Mundra port, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd.
According to the report, tankers believed to be carrying Iranian LPG made frequent trips between the Persian Gulf and the Mundra port. Experts cited by the publication said the tankers displayed shipping patterns commonly associated with efforts to evade sanctions. The U.S. Department of Justice is said to be examining the operations of several LPG tankers linked to cargoes delivered to Adani Enterprises.
However, the Adani Group has strongly denied any wrongdoing. In a firm rebuttal, a spokesperson for Adani Enterprises stated, “Adani categorically denies any deliberate engagement in sanctions evasion or trade involving Iranian-origin LPG. Further, we are not aware of any investigation by U.S. authorities on this subject.”
The company maintained that it neither handles Iranian cargo at its ports nor deals with vessels flagged under Iran. “Any suggestion that Adani Group entities are knowingly in contravention of U.S. sanctions on Iran is strongly denied,” the spokesperson said. “Any assertion to the contrary would not only be slanderous but also an intentional attempt to damage the reputation and interests of the Adani Group.”
Addressing the specific shipment mentioned in the report, the company said it was a routine commercial transaction involving third-party logistics, with documentation showing Sohar, Oman, as the port of origin. Adani clarified that it neither owns nor operates the vessels mentioned in the report and has no control over them.
The group emphasized that its LPG trade represents a very small part of its business and is conducted entirely in line with domestic and international regulations. The company said it performs all required due diligence, including KYC checks, to ensure that suppliers are not listed on the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list.
“All our LPG contracts are with reputed international suppliers and specifically include clauses stating that the product must not originate from sanctioned countries,” the spokesperson added.
These latest claims come on the heels of earlier accusations, when U.S. prosecutors reportedly charged Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, in a separate case involving alleged bribery and misleading investors. At the time, the Adani Group strongly rejected the allegations, calling them baseless, and stated it would take all necessary legal steps to defend its name.
