Iran seizes oil tanker St Nikolas near Oman
Iran has captured an oil tanker with a Marshall Islands flag in the Gulf of Oman. Masked, armed individuals boarded the St Nikolas near the Omani port of Sohar, instructing it to sail to an Iranian port.
According to Iranian state media citing the navy, this seizure was in response to the US confiscating the ship and its oil cargo last year.
The St Nikolas, en route from the Iraqi port of Basra to Turkey, had its communication cut off after unauthorized individuals, reportedly in military-style black uniforms with masks, boarded it.
Although Iranian media referred to the vessel as American, it is owned by a Greek company, Empire Navigation, carrying 145,000 tonnes of crude oil with a crew of 18 Filipinos and one Greek citizen.
Previously known as the Suez Rajan, the ship was seized by the US in April for violating sanctions against Iran.
The US has urged the immediate release of the vessel and crew, condemning Iran’s actions as another attempt to disrupt global commerce.
“We believe this kind of action will simply add uncertainty for commercial shipping and for regional and global economies,” said US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel.
This latest act appears to be separate from attacks carried out by Houthi rebels from Yemen in the Red Sea on the opposite side of the Arabian peninsula.
Thursday’s incident was in a different ocean from the Houthis’ usual area of operations – where they have been attacking any ships they suspect of being linked to Israel in retaliation for the country’s actions in Gaza.
The US and UK have hinted they could take military action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels following the largest attack yet.
Carrier-based jets and warships shot down 21 drones and missiles launched by the Iran-backed group on Tuesday night.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Wednesday demanding an immediate end to the Houthi attacks.
