Iran confirms seizure of tanker carrying ‘unauthorised cargo’ in Strait of Hormuz

Ship, sailing from Sharjah to Singapore, is reportedly carrying nearly 30,000 tonnes of petrochemical products

Iran confirmed that its elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized a tanker in the Gulf of Hormuz that was transporting what it described as “unauthorised cargo”.

The vessel, sailing for Singapore from Sharjah in the UAE, was intercepted on Friday and diverted into Iranian territorial waters, Reuters reported.

In a statement carried by state media, the IRGC 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”.

They “tracked and seized the vessel following a judicial order”, the IRGC said, adding that the cargo of 30,000 tonnes of petrochemical products was being transported in violation of Iranian law.

The Talara, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker managed by Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement and owned by Pasha Finance, is about 750 feet long and 105 feet wide, according to marine traffic records cited by the New York Times.

The company said it “lost contact” with the vessel, which was carrying high sulphur gasoil, about 20 nautical miles off Khor Fakkan in the UAE as it veered into Iranian waters.

The company “notified the relevant authorities” and was “working closely with all relevant parties – including maritime security agencies and the vessel owner – to restore contact with the vessel”.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route through which around 20 per cent of global oil and gas flows (The Independent/Datawrapper)

An anonymous American defence official confirmed to Reuters that the tanker had been intercepted and diverted by Iranian forces.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre described the incident as possible “state activity”.

The US military later said it was “aware of the incident” and actively monitoring the situation, according to the New York Times.

Maritime security company Ambrey said the Talara was heading south through the Strait of Hormuz when it was approached by three small boats and made a “sudden course deviation”.

British maritime authorities reported that the vessel was last seen “transiting towards Iranian territorial waters”, although it was not initially clear why the tanker changed its course.

The IRGC has periodically seized commercial vessels in the Gulf waters, often citing smuggling, technical violations or legal disputes, and repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which about 20 per cent of all traded oil and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas pass annually.

The threats intensified during the 12-day war with Israel in June, during which the US joined Israel in bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes hit deep inside Iranian territory, targeted key commanders and nuclear facilities, and prompted retaliation from Iran.

Iran’s last reported seizure of a commercial vessel was in April 2024, when the IRGC detained a ship linked to Israel following a deadly Israeli attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria.