Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on Saturday the interception and seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Talara as it navigated the Strait of Hormuz, citing judicial authorization over alleged violations including an illicit cargo consignment. The operation, executed on Friday, redirected the vessel into Iranian territorial waters to safeguard national interests and resources, according to a statement from the official Irna news agency.
The tanker, laden with approximately 30,000 tons of high-sulfur gasoil and petrochemical products, was en route from Ajman in the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when Iranian forces, deploying three small boats, compelled its abrupt course deviation. Maritime security firm Ambrey detailed the approach, while the vessel's manager, Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement, reported sudden loss of contact around 8:22 a.m. local time, approximately 20 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan.
United States defense officials verified the incident, noting a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone had monitored the area for hours during the seizure. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center attributed the redirection to suspected state-sponsored activity, underscoring the strategic chokepoint's vulnerability where 20 percent of global traded oil transits daily.
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This action marks the first tanker interdiction in the Strait of Hormuz in over a year, following a pattern of escalatory measures by Tehran. Iran faces accusations of prior maritime aggressions, including 2019 limpet mine assaults on vessels, a 2021 drone strike on an Israeli-linked tanker that claimed two lives, the 2022 detention of two Greek-flagged ships, and the April 2024 capture of the Portuguese vessel MSC Aries, all linked to retaliatory postures after the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord under President Donald Trump.
The seizure unfolds against a backdrop of intensified regional hostilities, exacerbated by a 12-day Israel-Iran war in June that prompted U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, alongside ongoing Gaza Strip conflicts. The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet maintains vigilant patrols to secure these vital sea lanes, amid Tehran's longstanding threats to blockade the strait in response to perceived aggressions.
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