 They are manned by 6,000 personnel who work under the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, international waters and various ports of the world.IRISL has been sanctioned by the United States, United Nations, European Union, and other parties for its role in assisting Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile development programs.However, the return of the line to the world market was expected by early winter 2016, as a result of the Iran nuclear deal between Iran, the P5+1/EU3+3 powers, and the EU in August 2015.