US says Iran illegally seized commercial tanker in Strait of Hormuz
US Central Command has accused Iran of illegally boarding and seizing a Marshall Islands-flagged commercial tanker in international waters. Iranian forces reportedly used a helicopter and small boats to intercept the vessel before moving it to Iranian territorial waters.
The United States Central Command has declared that Iranian military forces unlawfully boarded and seized a commercial tanker operating in international waters within the strategic Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM, the incident occurred on Friday when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel deployed by helicopter to intercept the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel M/V Talara before redirecting the tanker into Iranian territorial waters.
Operational Details of the Seizure
British maritime security firm Ambrey provided additional operational specifics, indicating the Talara was en route from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when it abruptly altered course during its Gulf of Oman transit. The vessel diverted toward Iranian waters after three small boats approached it approximately 20 nautical miles east of the Emirati port of Khor Fakkan, with the tanker subsequently remaining under Iranian control.
International Legal Condemnation
CENTCOM characterized Iran's military action as "a blatant violation of international law" that fundamentally undermines principles of freedom of navigation and unimpeded commercial flow. The US military command demanded that Tehran "articulate to the international community the legal basis for its actions," highlighting the absence of any official Iranian statement regarding the incident or justification for the vessel's seizure.
Strategic Context and Regional Implications
The Strait of Hormuz represents one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints for global oil transportation, with similar Iranian vessel seizures previously escalating regional tensions. The incident marks the latest in a series of maritime confrontations in the strategically vital waterway, where freedom of navigation issues consistently intersect with broader geopolitical tensions between Iran and international shipping interests.
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