Iranian military halted the oil products ship and redirected it into Iranian national seas, according to a U.S. official and maritime security sources on Friday. Since the Israeli-American raids on Iran in June, there had been no reports of Tehran seizing a tanker. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement broadcast on Iranian state television that “the tanker was in violation of carrying unauthorized cargo.” It gave no more information about the purported infractions.
According to maritime reports, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara was sailing off the coast of the United Arab Emirates while transporting a cargo of high-sulfur gasoil from Sharjah, the UAE, to Singapore via the Indian Ocean. About 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, the ship’s company, Columbia Ship Management, reported that it lost touch with the Talara on Friday morning. It also stated that it was collaborating closely with the owner of the vessel and other pertinent parties, such as maritime security agencies, to reestablish communication. Pasha Finance, located in Cyprus, is the ship’s owner. The U.S. military stated in a statement that it was aware of the incident and was keeping a close eye on it.
In recent years, Iran’s IRGC has occasionally detained commercial ships in Gulf seas, frequently citing maritime infractions including suspected smuggling, mechanical problems, or legal disputes. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the U.S. official claimed that the incident was unexpected because Iran has not conducted any similar operations in recent months. Since the United States joined the 12-day Israeli bombing campaign in June, Iran has reduced its military operations in the area. April 2024 was the last time a vessel was reportedly seized by it. 00:01
