In the midst of rising tensions over Tehran’s nuclear programme, Iran navy on Thursday captured an oil tanker flying the flag of the Marshall Islands. On its way to the United States in the Gulf of Oman. This is just the latest such capture in a waterway vital to the world’s energy supplies.
The Advantage Sweet was the ship, according to the 5th Fleet of the US Navy stationed in the Middle East. MarineTraffic.com’s satellite tracking information for the ship showed it in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday afternoon. Not far from Muscat, the capital of Oman. Its origin was Kuwait, and Houston was listed as its final destination.
According to the Navy, as Iran seized the oil tanker at 1:15 p.m. while it was in international waters.
The 5th Fleet issued a statement saying that Iran’s actions “are against international law. And disruptive to regional security and stability.” “Iran needs to release the oil tanker right away.”
Iran Navy Didn’t Took Control Of The Ship
According to the Navy, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard paramilitary initially took control of the ship. But a 5th Fleet spokesman, Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, later confirmed that Iran’s navy actually did take control of the ship.
The seizure occurred after a “unknown ship collided with an Iranian vessel last night in the Persian Gulf. Leaving several Iranian crew members missing and suffering injuries,” according to the state-run IRNA news agency of Iran. The other ship allegedly involved in the collision was not named.
The Advantage Sweet had been in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday. But as it travelled through the Strait of Hormuz. Where a fifth of all traded oil passes, its track displayed no unusual behaviour. In other seizures, Iran has made claims that later crumbled as it became clear Tehran was attempting to use the capture as a bargaining chip with other countries.
Iran’s “harassing activity within the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman is commensurate with an established pattern of behaviour. That has seen Iran target vessels as a result of ongoing disputes,” according to maritime security company Dryad Global.
The Iranian vessel was at least Tehran’s fifth commercial vessel seizure in the previous two years, according to the 5th Fleet.
“Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters. Which are threat to maritime security and the global economy,” the statement continued.