Seizure of oil tanker conforms to int’l law: Navy chief
International Desk
The Iranian Navy’s seizure of an oil tanker in the Sea of Oman on January 11, 2024, was made in compliance with international law, as the country took back what had been stolen by the US, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Rear Admiral Irani said the thuggish American forces committed a theft, and so it was necessary for Iran to reclaim its rightful possession, Tasnim news agency reported.
According to Iranian state media, Iran on Thursday seized the oil tanker St. Nikolas, which was sailing under the Marshall Islands flag and owned by the Greek shipowner Empire Navigation with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey, in retaliation for last year’s confiscation of the same vessel and its oil by the US.
Echoing remarks from the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Navy chief warned the enemies of the country that the era of hit and run is over.
In Washington, the Pentagon claimed Iranian forces unlawfully boarded the St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman and forced it to change course toward Iranian territorial waters.
The White House condemned the seizure. “No justification whatsoever to seize it, none whatsoever. They need to let it go,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.
The US seized the St. Nikolas last year in a sanctions enforcement operation when it sailed under a different name, Suez Rajan. Iran warned the US the move would “not go unanswered”.
Armed intruders boarded the St. Nikolas as it sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the direction of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask.
“Communication with the oil tanker has been cut off around 06:30 on January 11 in the waters of Oman,” Turkish oil refiner Tupras told Reuters in an emailed statement, confirming it had bought the cargo from Iraqi state marketer SOMO.
The ship loaded around 145,000 metric tons of oil in the Iraqi port of Basra and was heading to Aliaga in western Turkey via the Suez Canal, Empire Navigation told Reuters. It said it had lost contact with the vessel, manned by a crew of 19 including 18 Filipino nationals and one Greek national.