Tehran defends ship seizure as a legal action, but tensions continue in the Gulf

Tehran defends ship seizure as a legal action, but tensions continue in the Gulf - analysis

SETH J. FRANTZMAN

Iran has taken credit for seizing a ship on Friday that was off the coast of the UAE near the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has seized an oil tanker off the southern coast of Makran under a judicial order over violations by the vessel,” Iranian state media IRNA said, revealing details about the takeover.

The IRGC Navy had monitored the ship, which was a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker named Talara.

The IRGC has its own naval vessels, mostly small fast boats. The relatively small Iranian navy has several other larger ships. The IRGC is often involved in Iran’s naval actions in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It has hijacked many vessels in the past. It increased those operations back in 2019, confiscating several ships.

The IRGC Navy said the “operation was carried out in line with legal duties and to protect the national interests and resources of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The IRGC sent vessels to follow the Talara in the first hours of Friday “after [an Iranian] court ordered the seizure of the vessel.”

Tehran claimed that the ship was “carrying unauthorized cargo.” Iranian media said the vessel was “loaded with 30,000 tons of petrochemical materials.” It was on course for Singapore.

According to other reports, the ship suddenly changed course on Friday. It was then directed into Iranian waters. Several small boats, apparently from the IRGC, were seen with it

Ynet noted that “Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement, which operates the vessel, said it had ‘lost contact’ with the tanker, which was reportedly transporting high-sulfur gas oil.”

British maritime security firm Ambrey, which first reported the unusual incident, said it occurred about “40 kilometers off the UAE coast.”

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) had also alerted about the ship being deviated from its course.

Al-Ain media in the UAE noted that, according to Ambrey, “three small boats approached it [the tanker] as it crossed the Strait of Hormuz heading south.”

The report noted that the ship was directed toward Iran around 7 a.m. “On Friday, the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which oversees the region, said, ‘We are aware of the incident involving the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Talara,’” the report added.

America was monitoring the situation. The Al-Ain report noted that “last year, the Revolutionary Guard seized a container ship, accusing its operator of having ‘links with Israel.’”

It is not clear what will come next. Tehran may try to make a show of its capabilities to continue seizing or diverting ships toward Iranian waters. Iran’s goal is to show it still has the power to project its naval capabilities in the region. Iran suffered a setback earlier this year in a 12-day conflict with Israel.