Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Saturday that they had captured a tanker in the waters of the Gulf. The vessel was loaded with petrochemicals destined for Singapore and was seized for alleged violations, as reported by Iranian state media. A U.S. official and maritime security sources disclosed on Friday that Iranian forces intercepted an oil products tanker and redirected it to Iranian territorial waters. This incident marks the first tanker seizure by Tehran since Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran in June.
A statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) broadcasted on Iranian state television stated that the tanker was found to be carrying unauthorized cargo, without providing specific details on the violations. The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, named the Talara, was sailing near the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and transporting high-sulfur gas oil from Sharjah in the U.A.E. to Singapore through the Indian Ocean, according to maritime sources.
The vessel’s management company, Columbia Shipmanagement, reported losing contact with the Talara on Friday morning approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan, U.A.E. They are collaborating with relevant parties and maritime security agencies to reestablish communication. The ship is owned by Pasha Finance, based in Cyprus.
The U.S. military issued a statement acknowledging the incident and stated that they are actively monitoring the situation. Iran’s IRGC has a history of seizing commercial vessels in Gulf waters, citing various maritime violations such as smuggling, technical infractions, or legal disputes. Despite Iran’s reduced military activities in the region following the Israeli-U.S. strikes in June, this recent tanker seizure marks a departure from their previous operations, with the last reported vessel seizure dating back to April 2024.