Iran seized a tanker with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey on Thursday in what appeared to be a retaliation for the seizure last year of the same vessel by Tehran’s arch foe the United States, Iranian media reported.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker St Nikolas, which last year was confiscated by the United States for carrying Iranian oil, was boarded by armed intruders as it sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the direction of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask.
Following the seizure of the vessel last year, Iran warned the US that “it will not go unanswered.”
“The Navy of Iran’s Army has announced the seizure of an American oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman with a judicial order,” Iranian state media cited a statement by the Army as saying on Thursday.
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On Thursday, a US oil tanker, previously caught in a regional standoff between Iran and US, was reportedly boarded by a group of armed individuals off the coast of Oman and appeared to have changed course toward Iran.
ReplyDeleteIran’s naval forces on Thursday detained a US oil tanker in the waters of the Gulf of Oman, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported. According to Tasnim, the tanker was detained by court order.
Iran has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, state media reports.
ReplyDeleteArmed men wearing masks have reportedly boarded the vessel St Nikolas, close to the Omani port of Sohar, and ordered it to sail to an Iranian port.
It is unclear why the tanker has been targeted.
The St Nikolas was in transit between the Iraqi port of Basra and its intended destination in Turkey.