US Navy ‘Actively Monitoring’ Tanker Seizure by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is "actively monitoring" a developing situation in Iran where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker as it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.

Iranian state-run television read a statement from the IRGC on Saturday, which said that “the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorized cargo.” However, the IRGC didn't provide further details about alleged violations.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Navy, State Department, and the Columbia Group ship management company for further information and comment.

Why It Matters

This marks the first Iranian seizure of a tanker in over a year, with the last seizure occurring in April 2024, with others occurring in April 2023 and January 2024. Such incidents raise concerns about the safety of commercial shipping, with potential for regional and wider geopolitical tension as a result.

The seizure also follows an unusual incident during which 75 percent of the Iranian oil fleet activated their location tracking signals and deactivated them the next day. Tracking signals resumed about a week later, with the vast majority of Iranian vessels heading east visible on ship tracking platforms.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical passage for global oil shipments, with roughly one-fifth of the world's petroleum passing through the waterway. Iran has previously threatened to close the passage in retaliation to Western sanctions and other actions.

What To Know

Reports broke on Friday afternoon that Iran had seized the Talara after it deviated from its course in the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel, which is carrying a cargo of high-sulfur gasoil, was sailing off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) en route to Singapore when three small boats approached it and the crew shifted its course.

In a message posted on X, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet wrote on Friday morning: "We are aware of the incident involving the Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Talara. We are actively monitoring the situation.

Commercial vessels are entitled to largely unimpeded rights of navigation and commerce on the high seas."

The precise owner of the vessel is not clear, but it is managed by Columbia Shipmanagement, part of the Cyprus-based Columbia Group.

The company in a brief statement to Reuters said it lost contact with the crew at around 8:22 a.m. local time approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of the UAE and is working with relevant parties to restore contact.

While the vessel is flagged under the Marshall Islands, tankers commonly have a policy of "flags of convenience," by which the ship is registered in a country different than that which owns it to take advantage of lower costs, taxes, or regulations in another country.

A previously detained ship, the St Nikolas, was flagged under Marshall Islands but was seized by Iran as retaliation for a U.S. seizure of Iranian oil.

What Happens Next?

Authorities continue to monitor the Talara and other commercial vessels in transit through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

International maritime agencies are expected to increase surveillance, and shipping companies may adjust routes or implement heightened security measures.