Iran confirms it took Singapore-bound tanker carrying petrochemical cargo - Reuters

 

by Reuters

Following inspections, authorities said "the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorized cargo." They did not provide further details.

 

This picture released by the US Navy shows a ship of the Iranian Navy and members of the Iranian forces boarding civilian tanker WILA en-route to the UAE, in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, August 12, 2020

(photo credit: US NAVY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

 

Iran confirmed on Saturday that its Revolutionary Guards had seized a tanker in Gulf waters carrying a cargo of petrochemicals bound for Singapore over alleged violations, Iranian state media reported.

A US official and maritime security sources had said on Friday that Iranian forces intercepted the oil products tanker and diverted it into Iranian territorial waters. It was the first report of Tehran seizing a tanker since Israeli-US strikes on Iran in June.

Iranian state-run television read a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stating that "the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorized cargo". It did not provide further details of the alleged violations.

Tehran seizes Marshall Islands-flagged tanker

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, the Talara, had been sailing off the United Arab Emirates' coast, maritime sources said, and was carrying a cargo of high-sulphur gasoil through the Indian Ocean en route to Singapore from Sharjah in the UAE.

Flames and smoke rise from the damaged Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion, which had been on fire since August 23, after an attack by Houthi terrorists, on the Red Sea, September 15, 2024; illustrative. (credit: EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

The vessel's manager, Columbia Ship Management, said it lost contact with the Talara Friday morning, around 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE. It added that it was working closely with relevant parties, including maritime security agencies and the vessel's owner, to restore contact.

The ship is owned by Cyprus-based Pasha Finance.

In a statement, the US military said it was aware of the incident and was actively monitoring the situation.

Iran's IRGC has periodically seized commercial vessels in Gulf waters in recent years, often citing maritime violations such as alleged smuggling, technical infractions or legal disputes.

However, the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident was surprising since Iran had not carried out any such operations in recent months.

Iran has curbed its military activities in the region since the 12-day Israeli bombing campaign in June, which was joined by the United States. Its last reported seizure of a vessel was in April 2024.

Reuters

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-873911

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