Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Saturday that they had seized a tanker in the Gulf carrying petrochemicals bound for Singapore due to alleged violations, as reported by Iranian state media. The vessel, named Talara and flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, was sailing near the United Arab Emirates when it was intercepted and redirected into Iranian waters. This incident marks the first tanker seizure by Tehran since the Israeli-U.S. strikes in June.
According to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) broadcasted on Iranian state television, the tanker was found to be carrying unauthorized cargo, without specifying further details on the violations. The vessel, which belonged to Cyprus-based Pasha Finance and was managed by Columbia Shipmanagement, lost communication while off the coast of Khor Fakkan, U.A.E. The company is working with relevant authorities and the vessel’s owner to reestablish contact.
The U.S. military acknowledged the incident and is actively monitoring the situation. Iran’s IRGC has a history of seizing commercial vessels in the Gulf, citing reasons such as alleged smuggling, technical issues, or legal disputes. The recent seizure was unexpected, as Iran had refrained from such actions in the past months following the Israeli-U.S. airstrikes. The previous reported vessel seizure by Iran was in April 2024.