Iranian forces seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Friday and diverted it into Iranian territorial waters, according to a U.S. official and maritime security sources. This is the first reported tanker seizure by Iran since the Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iranian territory in June.
The tanker, Talara, was carrying high-sulphur gasoil from Sharjah in the UAE to Singapore through the Indian Ocean. MarineTraffic data showed the tanker last transmitted its position at around 0810 UTC while moving close to the Iranian coastline.
Communication with the ship was lost at around 0822 local time (0422 UTC), its manager Columbia Shipmanagement confirmed. The firm explained it was working with maritime security agencies and the ship’s owner, Cyprus-based Pasha Finance, to restore contact.
Maritime security groups, including Vanguard, reported that the tanker was intercepted at sea by units of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and diverted toward the Iranian coast. A private firm, Ambrey, noted that three small boats approached the vessel during the seizure.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said the event was believed to be “state activity” and confirmed that the tanker was being steered into Iranian territorial waters.
A U.S. defence official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the information, said the interception was surprising because Iran had not carried out such operations in recent months.
The official added that the U.S. military was aware of the incident and was actively monitoring the situation. Flight-tracking data reviewed by the Associated Press showed a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone circling the area for hours during the takeover.
There has been no official response from Tehran about the seizure, and both Iranian and UAE foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
Iran’s IRGC has seized several commercial vessels in recent years in Gulf waters, often accusing ships of breaching maritime rules, smuggling, or being involved in legal disputes. The last major case occurred in May 2022, when two Greek tankers were detained until November that year.
The U.S. Navy has previously attributed a series of incidents to Iran, including limpet mine attacks on tankers in 2019 and a drone strike in 2021 that killed two crew members on an Israeli-linked oil tanker. Many of these tensions escalated after the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018.
More recently, regional shipping has been affected by Houthi attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which have heavily disrupted trade in the Red Sea.
The latest seizure took place near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, where about 20% of global oil shipments pass.
Iran has repeatedly warned in the past that it could restrict access to the strait during heightened tensions. The U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet continues to patrol the region to ensure freedom of navigation.
As of Friday, the Talara was believed to be moving further into Iranian waters, with maritime agencies continuing to follow the situation. No injuries or damage have been reported.
Reference: Reuters
