Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on Saturday that it had seized an oil tanker off its Gulf coast, a day after two security companies determined it was probably responsible.
The ship had been travelling from the UAE when Iranian forces intercepted it, a US defence official who did not want to be identified told AP on Friday.
“Yesterday morning at 7.30, after a judicial authority ordered the seizure of the cargo of an oil tanker with the trade name Talara and the flag of the Marshall Islands, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rapid reaction units of the naval forces monitored its movements and intercepted and seized it,” said the IRGC, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic's military.
Following inspections, Iranian authorities said “the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorised cargo”. No further details were provided.
At the time, the ship’s manager, Columbia Shipmanagement, said it lost contact with the vessel.
The company added it “notified the relevant authorities and is working closely with all relevant parties – including maritime security agencies and the vessel owner – to restore contact with the vessel”.
“The safety of the crew remains our foremost priority,” it said.
The Talara was sailing from the UAE to Singapore when it made a sudden change in course, British maritime security firm Ambrey said.
The tanker had been approached by three small boats in the Strait of Hormuz before deviating from its course in the Gulf of Oman, Ambrey said. The agency added the incident was “likely highly targeted”.
The British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations centre separately acknowledged the incident, saying a possible “state activity” forced the Talara to turn into Iranian territorial waters.
