Iran's Navy Seizes Oil Tanker in International Waters of the Sea of Oman

Update: Hours after the U.S. reported the seizure of an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Fars News Agency claimed that this ship was stopped by the Navy of the Army after colliding with an Iranian vessel. Subsequently, the U.S. Fifth Fleet announced that after sending a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, it was confirmed that the oil tanker was seized by the Iranian Navy. The Fifth Fleet had previously stated that the IRGC seized an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag in international waters of the Sea of Oman on Thursday at approximately 1:15 PM local time. Meanwhile, Fars reported that "an unidentified ship collided with an Iranian vessel in the waters of the Persian Gulf," resulting in two crew members missing and several others injured. Fars added that the Marshall Islands-flagged ship attempted to "flee the Persian Gulf" after the incident, which led to its seizure by the Iranian Navy in the Sea of Oman. This comes as the Fifth Fleet's statement noted that the oil tanker had made an emergency call during the seizure. The Fifth Fleet described this action as contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. According to this statement, Iran's harassing actions against ships and violations of navigation rights in international waters pose a threat to maritime security and the global economy. The statement reminded that the Islamic Republic has seized at least five commercial vessels in the Middle East region over the past two years. Maritime tensions between Iran and the U.S. have escalated in recent weeks. The Fifth Fleet denied the Islamic Republic's claim last Thursday about forcing a U.S. submarine to surface while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, a day later, the U.S. destroyer Paul Hamilton stopped a fishing boat carrying 802 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1,000 kilograms of hashish, with its crew being Iranian. This news was updated based on a correction published by the U.S. Fifth Fleet.