Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Saturday that they had taken control of a tanker in the Gulf carrying petrochemicals bound for Singapore due to alleged violations, as reported by Iranian state media. A U.S. official and maritime security sources stated that Iranian forces intercepted the oil tanker and redirected it into Iranian territorial waters on Friday. This incident marks Tehran’s first seizure of a tanker since Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran in June.
According to Iranian state television, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that the tanker had breached regulations by transporting unauthorized cargo, without specifying the exact nature of the violations. The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel named Talara was sailing near the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was transporting high-sulfur gas oil from Sharjah in the UAE to Singapore through the Indian Ocean.
The ship’s management company, Columbia Shipmanagement, reported losing contact with the Talara on Friday morning about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE. They are collaborating with relevant authorities, including maritime security agencies and the vessel’s owner, to reestablish communication. The vessel is owned by Pasha Finance, a Cyprus-based company.
The U.S. military acknowledged the incident in a statement, stating that they are actively monitoring the situation. The IRGC of Iran has previously seized commercial ships in Gulf waters for reasons such as alleged smuggling, technical violations, or legal disputes. Notably, the U.S. official, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed surprise at the recent operation, noting that Iran had not conducted such activities in recent months.
Following the Israeli-led bombing campaign in June, Iran has reduced its military operations in the region. The last known seizure of a vessel by Iran was in April 2024.