On July 6, 2023, the U.S. Navy reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized a commercial ship in the Gulf’s international waters. The vessel, a Tanzanian-flagged tanker suspected of oil smuggling. The U.S. Navy monitored the incident but chose not to respond further.
Iran has previously seized commercial ships in the Gulf, with accusations of harassment and seizure of merchant vessels in recent years. In May 2023, Iran seized two tankers, including one chartered by U.S. oil major Chevron.
The U.S. Navy maintains vigilance in the Gulf and is to protect lawful maritime traffic’s navigational rights. However, the recent seizure of the Tanzanian-flagged tanker indicates Iran’s ongoing challenge to international norms in the region.
Here are some additional details about the incident:
- The ship seized in international waters in the Gulf, about 59 nautical miles northeast of the Saudi Arabian port city of Dammam.
- The ship being a Tanzanian-flagged tanker named the MT Riah.
- The ship was reportedly carrying a cargo of oil.
- The U.S. Navy said that it had monitored the incident but had decided not to make any further response.
- Iran has not commented on the incident.
The U.S. Navy announced that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had forcibly seized a vessel. The vessel in question is the MT Riah. This seizure is part of a pattern where Iran has been harassing or seizing commercial ships in the Gulf. These incidents have sparked concerns about navigation safety in the region. Furthermore, they have strained relations between Iran and the United States.
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