In reprisal for a previous US seizure, Iran seizes an oil tanker off the coast of Oman

Dubai: According to Iranian state media, Iran confiscated a tanker carrying Iraqi petroleum that was headed for Turkey on Thursday as payback for the United States seizing the same ship and its cargo last year. This action is expected to escalate tensions in the area.

The Marshall Islands-flagged ship St. Nikolas was taken over at the same time as Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen had been attacking Red Sea maritime lanes for weeks.

The Navy issued a statement that the semi-official Fars news agency quoted. “After the theft of Iranian oil by the United States last year, St Nikolas tanker was seized by Iran’s Navy this morning with a judicial order… it is en route to Iranian ports,” the news agency said.

The Pentagon in Washington said that St. Nikolas was forcibly steered into Iranian territorial waters after Iranian commandos forcibly boarded the ship in the Gulf of Oman.

The seizure was denounced by the White House.

“There is absolutely no reason to take it, not even close. John Kirby, a spokesman for national security at the White House, said that they must let it go.

When the St. Nikolas was sailing under the name Suez Rajan last year, the U.S. intercepted it as part of an enforcement of sanctions operation. Iran threatened to “not go unanswered” for the U.S. action.

Armed attackers boarded St Nikolas as it sailed near to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security company Ambrey, and its AIS monitoring system was switched off as it traveled in the direction of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask.

Turkish oil refiner Tupras confirmed in an emailed statement to Reuters that it had purchased the cargo from Iraqi state marketer SOMO. “Communication with the oil tanker, St Nikolas, under Marshall Islands flag and owned by the Greek shipowner Empire Navigation has been cut off around 06:30 on Jan. 11 in the waters of Oman,” the statement said.

“The incident has no impact on our refinery operations,” the Turkish corporation – which runs the 241,500 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Izmir refinery in Aliaga – said.

The ship was traveling to Aliaga in western Turkey by way of the Suez Canal after loading some 145,000 metric tons of oil at the Iraqi port of Basra, according to Empire Navigation, which was reported to Reuters. It claimed to have lost touch with the 19-person crew, which consisted of one Greek and eight Filipino nationalities.

The Houthis of Yemen have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea since October in an effort to aid Hamas in its conflict with Israel. The Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is southwest of the Arabian Peninsula, has seen the most of these instances.

The incident on Thursday occurred nearer to Oman and Iran, near the Strait of Hormuz.

Four to five armed individuals reportedly boarded a vessel some 50 nautical miles east of the coast of Oman, according to a report received by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) authorities earlier on Thursday.

According to reports, the invaders were dressed in black masks and outfits akin to the military.

The UK government, which disseminates information on maritime security, said that investigations were ongoing and that it was not able to get in touch with the ship further.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the Fifth Fleet Commander of the U.S. Navy, said in a statement that “Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and threaten maritime security and stability.”

When the U.S. sanctions enforcement operation captured the Suez Rajan last year, it was carrying about 980,000 barrels of Iranian crude oil. The oil was seized.

At the time, the United States claimed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was attempting to circumvent US sanctions by shipping Iranian oil to China.

Fears of secondary sanctions on the boats used to dump the Iranian petroleum prevented the ship from unloading it for over two and a half months. After the shipments were unloaded, it was renamed the St Nikolas.