Iran seized a tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, in retaliation for what it termed the “theft” by the US of a significant cargo of Iranian oil carried by the same ship last year, against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions.
Condemning the seizure of the vessel, the St. Nikolas, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press conference on Thursday that “the Iranian government must immediately release the ship and its crew."
He said the "unlawful seizure of a commercial vessel is just the latest behaviour by Iran, or enabled by Iran, aimed at disrupting international commerce.”
Armed men “in military attire” boarded the St Nikolas, a tanker managed by a Greek company and flying the Marshall Islands flag, according to reports from the British maritime security agency, UKMTO, and private firm Ambrey. “Four to five unauthorised individuals” boarded the vessel near the city of Sohar, in Oman, UKMTO reported.
The Iranian authorities later confirmed the seizure of the ship, formerly known as the Suez Rajan.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s navy seized an American oil tanker in the Oman Sea waters pursuant to a court ruling,” Iran’s official news agency, Irna, stated. This action was taken “due to the violation committed by the Suez Rajan vessel in May 2023 and the theft of Iranian oil by the United States,” it added, citing an Iranian naval statement.
The US last year confiscated a load of 980,000 barrels of crude oil on the Suez Rajan, and initiated legal action against the vessel for transporting sanctioned Iranian oil. The tanker’s owner pleaded guilty and was given a $2.5 million fine.
At the time, US authorities claimed to have begun proceedings to officially become the owners of the cargo, worth tens of millions of dollars.
The Suez Rajan, renamed the St Nikolas, is now heading towards “the Islamic Republic’s ports to be handed over to the judicial authorities,” according to the Iranian navy.
The Greek group, Empire Navigation, which manages the tanker, earlier reported having “lost contact” with the vessel and its 19 crew members: 18 Filipinos and one Greek.
The tanker’s seizure on Thursday came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had just completed a diplomatic tour in the region.
The Gulf of Oman, a significant artery for the oil industry, has been the scene of a series of incidents and attacks in recent years.
