STORY: Iranian state TV on Friday broadcast clips of what it stated have been Iranian naval forces seizing a U.S. tanker within the Gulf of Oman.
The seizure of the St. Nikolas, earlier on Thursday, is on the middle of a significant dispute between Washington and Tehran, and will doubtless stoke regional tensions.
The tanker was carrying Iraqi crude destined for Turkey.
Vessel monitoring software program exhibits its course – the tanker turned off its AIS monitoring system because it turned towards an Iranian port.
U.S. authorities seized the St. Nikolas final 12 months in a sanctions operation, and when it had sailed underneath a special title, Sueze Rajan.
Tehran says its motion Thursday was in retaliation for that earlier U.S. confiscation.
The seizure coincides with weeks of assaults by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militias focusing on Pink Sea delivery routes.
White Home nationwide safety spokesperson John Kirby condemned Iran’s actions on Thursday.
“The Iranian authorities ought to instantly launch the ship and its crew. These provocative and unacceptable actions have to cease. We’ll proceed to work with our allies and companions to discourage and confront the complete vary of Iran’s regarding and destabilizing habits in shut coordination, in fact, with the worldwide neighborhood”
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