Panama stands firm on Iranian, Russian sanctions and maritime security

The claims made by Jeb Bush and Mark Wallace in the Aug. 20 op-ed “Panama deserves sanctions, not the Security Council presidency,” do not reflect the proactive heightened security cooperation between Panama and the U.S. regarding the illicit sale of oil by Iran.

The article ignores the substantial steps Panama has taken to uphold international sanctions and maritime security. It is a blatant lie that Panama is complicit in Iran’s sanctions evasion. On the contrary, our Maritime Authority has removed more than 650 vessels from our registry since 2019, including 214 in the past year alone.

Just recently, we delisted 17 ships specifically targeted by new U.S. sanctions for transporting Iranian oil. These actions reflect our zero-tolerance policy toward misuse of our flag.

This month, Panama has implemented a ban on registering oil tankers and bulk carriers more than 15 years-old, a direct strike against the “shadow fleet” linked to the illicit Iranian and Russian oil trade. We have also strengthened due diligence protocols, to meet the highest international standards.

Our registry acts swiftly to delist vessels flagged for sanctionable activities, and we reaffirmed our commitment to transparency and international cooperation. We do so in coordination with the Treasury Department and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. United Against Nuclear Iran is not a legitime authority of the United States of America.

Panama supported the partition of the territory of Palestine, voted for the creation of the State of Israel and the admission of the State of Israel into the UN. About 15,000 Jews live in Panama, worshiping freely in 10 synagogues nationwide. Two Jews have held the office of president. Panama does not recognize the State of Palestine.

During its Security Council term of 2025-2026, Panama has promoted moderate yet principled positions in order to recognize the legitime suffering of the Israeli people and the hostage families after Oct. 7. Panama has repeatedly condemned Hamas, the massacre of Oct. 7 and supports the unconditional release of hostages.

To suggest that Panama should be sanctioned while it actively supports the international order, undermines the collaborative spirit needed to confront global challenges.

José Alemán is Panama's ambassador to the U.S.