An international oil tanker that was bound for Texas was seized by Iranian naval forces on Thursday after the country claimed it had collided with one of its vessels.
The U.S. military announced the seizure in a statement that called for the ship’s immediate release.
The Navy also demanded that Iran cease breaking international laws with such actions, which it said have become somewhat routine in recent years.
“On April 27 at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time, Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman,” a statement from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command public affairs office said.
“The oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure. U.S. 5th Fleet is monitoring the situation,” the statement continued.
NAVCENT statement on Iran’s unlawful seizure of a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman today: pic.twitter.com/EJxcsynA1m
— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) April 27, 2023
Initial indicators suggested that the IRGCN conducted the seizure, which is consistent with prior events. However, after sending a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the situation, we have since been able to determine the IRIN (Iranian navy) conducted the seizure.
— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) April 27, 2023
Naval Central Command criticized the Iranian military for its continued harassment of shipping vessels in the region.
Since 2021, Iran has seized at least five such vessels, Reuters reported.
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