Iran seized an American tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday in retaliation for the US previously seizing the same tanker and stealing a shipment of Iranian oil that it was carrying.
In April 2023, the US forced the tanker, formerly named Suez Rajan, to sail to Texas when it was carrying 800,000 barrels of Iranian oil using the pretext of sanctions enforcement.
The ship sat off the coast of Texas for months as Iran was warning of retaliation if it was discharged, and American companies did not want to be involved. But the oil, worth approximately $56 million, was eventually transferred to another tanker in August 2023.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Thursday: “Following the violation of the Suez Rajan in April and the theft of Iranian oil by the United States, the oil tanker renamed St. Nicholas was seized in retaliation this morning by the court order and the approval of the Ports and Shipping Organization by the strategic Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and transferred to Iranian ports.”
The report said the tanker was taken because it had stolen cargo belonging to Iran at the direction of the US. The St. Nicholas was seized after it was loaded with oil in Basra, Iraq, and was bound for Aliaga, Turkey, via the Suez Canal.
The US has a history of seizing tankers carrying Iranian oil and gas and outright stealing the cargo by selling it off for profit, and Iran has previously seized tankers in retaliation for US actions.
In 2022, the US seized a tanker carrying Iranian oil in Greece and attempted to take the cargo, but a Greek court ruled against the confiscation. Tehran seized two Greek tankers in response to the US move and released them after the court’s ruling.
In 2021, the US government sold 2 million barrels of Iranian oil for $110 million from a tanker seized near the UAE. During the Trump administration, the US sold off Iranian gas that was bound for Venezuela.
Sounds like the kickoff of a lot of trouble
This wasn’t the “kick-off”—the actual start occurred with the US’s actions.
Calling this the “kick-off” will be the MSM and US govt narrative
So, American companies did not want to be involved… Our NATO allies in Greece snub us… Iran can swipe ships with impunity…
When will the US stop doubling down on a losing hand?
When Russia does it in Ukraine, dip sh!t.
Russia is winning, sore loser.
Is it?
Your stupid Nazi Army can’t even take a village, you dip sh!t
Hey, how are your hacking skills going?
Change your name to dip sh!t
Oh boy, uncle Joe is going to have a great big SAD over this one!
Is that Stupidity Activated Disorder?
Antiwar.com – where Iranian news reports are taken as gospel
Where does the article even imply that this information only comes from Iranian sources? Go back to your Sports discussion pages where you may actually know what you’re talking about.
The basis and justification for the seizure was entirely from an Iranian news report. Why is it everything from foreign sources are taken at face value? Guys like Dave Decamp make a living feeding you guys bullshit like this and you can’t help but glaze them for it. How noble
You’re right. We should all get our news from CNN or other government run news sources.
He’s probably another troll here engaging in typical Neocon “Twisterella”. 🙂
You could be a troll too.
I could be, but I’m not. Now you, that’s another story….
You’re either an Ugly American or you don’t know what you’re talking about. The U.S. has been seizing Iran’s ships, and that’s not debatable.
He does, indeed.
So we shouldn’t believe something just because it comes from a “foreign news report”? More to the point, are you saying that the US DIDN”T seize an Iranian oil tanker, and that they didn’t seize it back ? Of course they’re going to “justify” what they did. Any fair minded person might. https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uk-shipping-authority-receives-report-vessel-boarded-by-armed-persons-off-oman-2024-01-11/
I followed the links provided in this article. The first took me to CNN. The others took me to other articles here at antiwar.com. The links from those articles came from AP, Rueters, Financial times, US Energy Information Administration and Aljazeera.
Unless Iran was notified ahead of time of a U.S. tanker to compensate for the last tanker. I still remember Obama giving billions to Iran in exchange for sailors forced into Iranian waters by U.S. Navy.
So those “billions” weren’t from previously frozen Iranian assets?
They certainly were… When politicians lie, the voters believe them… When they tell the truth, the voters would doubt them…!
Dumb statement.
Aug. 19, 1953: U.S. and Britain Topple Democratically Elected Government of Iran.
There are books on the subject, including by Kermit Washington C.I.A. agent, along with an MI6 agent, who lead the violent and murderous overthrow.
dennis hanna
p.s. This only records the first “modern” overthrow of Iran.
Don’t they know only Wash. can be pirates? how dare they?! Wash. started this and the only reason they did is to get Iran to fire the first show. Remember Gem. Clark saying Iran is the last country to be ‘taken out’ in the 7 countries in 5 years plan in Wash. Well, here we go!
An eye for an eye…. A tanker for a tanker…!
So very true netman.
This is unscrupulous behavior! Seriously?! What bloody arrogance US.
We expect more from you than this!
Even the Iranians have their limits, with all of this.
The article talks about Iran seizing an oil tanker and you are bitchng about the US?
What’s new?
Iran WILL back down in the name of peace.
The war hasn’t started yet…!
Exactly. Genius.
Iran re-captured the same oil tanker siezed by USN and resold a while back.
If this was Ukraine doing this, same imbeciles here supporting Iran would’ve been calling it an escalation.
Cant reason with hypocrite US haters.
The Iranian action is absolutely an “escalation” (“an increase in the intensity or seriousness of something; and intensification”).
Whether something is or is not an “escalation” is a different question from whether that thing is justified.