Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seizes tanker in Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates –
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker within the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the second-such seize by Tehran in underneath per week amid heightened tensions over its nuclear program.
The taking of the oil tanker Niovi renewed issues about Iran threatening maritime visitors within the strait, the slim mouth of the Persian Gulf by which a fifth of all crude passes. It additionally comes amid the disappearance of a crude oil tanker in southeast Asia believed to be carrying Iranian crude oil amid experiences it might have been seized by the U.S.
The U.S. Navy printed surveillance footage shot by an aerial drone of about dozen Guard vessels swarming the tanker round 6:20 a.m. The drone had been on a routine patrol within the space and noticed the seizure, although the Navy didn’t obtain a misery name from the Niovi itself, fifth Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins stated.
Those Guard ships “forced the oil tanker to reverse course and head toward Iranian territorial waters off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran,” the Navy stated.
“Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability,” the fifth Fleet stated in a press release. “Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are unwarranted, irresponsible and a present threat to maritime security and the global economy.”
Iran’s state-run IRNA news company acknowledged the Guard seized the vessel, however provided no motive.
Shipping registries present the Niovi as managed by Smart Tankers of Piraeus, Greece. A lady who answered the cellphone on the agency declined to right away touch upon the seizure. The Niovi had been coming from dry-dock repairs in Dubai, certain for Fujairah on the japanese coast of the United Arab Emirates with out carrying any cargo, in keeping with the info agency Refinitiv.
Last week, Iran seized an oil tanker carrying crude for Chevron Corp. of San Ramon, California, amid wider tensions between Tehran and the U.S. over its nuclear program. The Advantage Sweet had 23 Indians and one Russian on board.
Iran has accused the Advantage Sweet of colliding with one other vessel, whereas providing no proof to assist its declare. Iran has provided a wide range of unsupported claims up to now when seizing foreign-flagged ships amid tensions with the West.
The taking of the 2 tankers in underneath per week comes amid the disappearance of the Marshall Island-flagged Suez Rajan, which had been within the South China Sea off Singapore for over a yr after a report alleged it to smuggling sanctioned Iranian crude oil. Tracking knowledge for the Suez Rajan final confirmed it off East Africa, transferring in a course that would take it to the Americas.
The Financial Times, in addition to the maritime intelligence agency Ambrey, each have reported the Suez Rajan was seized on order of American authorities. The ship’s supervisor has not responded to queries from The Associated Press concerning the standing of the ship. U.S. officers additionally haven’t commented.
However, the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs acknowledged Wednesday just lately sending a warning to Greek ships within the Mideast to be on alert when going by the Persian Gulf. The ministry didn’t say what prompted the warning.
The seizure by Iran of the 2 ships within the final week was the most recent in a string of ship seizures and explosions to roil the area.
The incidents started after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Iran’s nuclear take care of world powers, which noticed Tehran drastically restrict its enrichment of uranium in trade for the lifting of financial sanctions. They’ve continued underneath President Joe Biden and as diplomatic efforts at discovering a means again to the accord stay stalemated.
Also, the U.S. Navy has blamed Iran for a collection of limpet mine assaults on vessels that broken tankers in 2019, in addition to for a deadly drone assault on an Israeli-linked oil tanker that killed two European crew members in 2021.
Tehran denies finishing up the assaults, however a wider shadow conflict between Iran and the West has performed out within the area’s risky waters. Iranian tanker seizures have been part of it since 2019. The final main seizure earlier than latest days got here when Iran took two Greek tankers in May 2022 and held them till November.
In the broader Mideast, Iranian-backed militias in Syria have carried out assaults on U.S. forces, together with one which killed a contractor in March. The U.S. responded with airstrikes. It additionally has deployed A-10 Thunderbolt IIs into the area, in addition to introduced the presence of a guided-missile submarine in latest weeks.
Since the collapse of the nuclear deal, Iran now enriches uranium nearer than ever to weapons-grade ranges. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has warned Tehran has sufficient of a uranium stockpile to construct “several” nuclear weapons if it chooses. Iran lengthy has insisted its program is for peaceable functions, although the IAEA and Western intelligence companies consider Tehran had a secret army nuclear program by 2003.
Iran additionally has restricted the power of IAEA inspectors to observe its program. However, the IAEA on Wednesday acknowledged that “work is ongoing” to reinstall monitoring tools at Iranian nuclear websites following a March go to by its director-general to Tehran. The company didn’t elaborate and Tehran didn’t acknowledge the work.
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Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed to this report.
