Iran Claims Warship Seized Oil Tanker Under Court Order, US Navy Releases Video Evidence
Tehran – Iranian officials are asserting that the warship involved in the attempted seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Oman was acting under a court order, according to state-controlled media in Iran.
According to Iranian search and rescue officials, the oil tanker, Richmond Voyager, collided with an Iranian vessel, resulting in injuries to five crew members, as reported by the official IRINN news agency. In response, Tehran deployed the Iranian Navy corvette IRINS Bayandor (81) to seize the tanker.
Bayandor, which was initially built for the Imperial Iranian Navy in the 1960s, was identified as the vessel seen firing on Richmond Voyager in a video released by the U.S. 5th Fleet on Wednesday.
The incident summary reveals that Iranian forces made contact with the tanker over VHF radio and ordered Richmond Voyager to stop and be boarded. However, the crew refused to comply, and Bayandor opened fire on the tanker, as shown in the video released by the U.S. 5th Fleet.
Initially, Iranian officials denied attempting to seize the ship, but after the footage became public, the Iranian search and rescue services presented information about the court order. Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran expert at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, stated that the change in Iran’s story demonstrates a shift in dynamics within the region.
Since 2021, Iranian forces have engaged in aggressive behavior towards or seized 20 internationally flagged ships. This year, Iran took control of two tankers within a week of each other. In response to these incidents, the U.S. Navy increased patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, where many of these incidents have occurred.
In another incident on Thursday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf, according to the U.S. 5th Fleet. Cmdr. Tim Hawkins confirmed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forcibly seized a commercial vessel suspected of engaging in smuggling activity. However, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command deemed it unnecessary to respond further to the situation.
Reports indicate that the seized tanker was the Egyptian-flagged vessel known as nothing 2.
The repeated acts of aggression by Iranian forces in international waters have sparked concerns among international observers. The U.S., in response, has bolstered its forces in the region to support the international maritime security construct. The situation highlights the escalating tensions and the need for a coordinated approach to ensure the safety and security of commercial shipping in the region.