Iran is shipping oil to Syria by hiding vessels behind front companies and exotic flags to evade international sanctions and aid its isolated ally, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, November 1. Iran sent an oil tanker loaded with refined products from its Persian Gulf port of Bandar Abbas to Syria last week. When it docked in Syria, the tanker was named the Hillari and was flying the Honduran flag. The vessel has made at least two previous voyages from Iran to Syria, during which it was known as the Alvan and flew the Panamanian flag. Iran has used these strategies to try to stay a step ahead of sanctions against the country and its Syrian ally. Syrian Oil Minister Said Mu’zi Huneidi met this week with his Iranian counterpart, Rostam Ghasemi, to develop further cooperation during a trip to Tehran.