The U.S. has seized an Iranian tanker in the Indian Ocean, according to the Washington Post
The U.S. military seized the tanker "Tiffany" in international waters in the Indian Ocean, which is suspected of smuggling Iranian oil. The operation took place on April 21 and proceeded without incident.
This was reported by The Washington Post.
A video released shows U.S. military personnel boarding the ship from helicopters. According to the Pentagon, the tanker had previously been subject to U.S. sanctions for participating in schemes to circumvent restrictions against Iran.
This involves the so-called “shadow fleet,” which is used to transfer oil from one vessel to another in order to conceal its origin. According to satellite data, the Tiffany was loaded in March on the Iranian island of Kharg—the country’s key oil terminal. The vessel may be carrying up to 2 million barrels of oil.
U.S. officials note that a decision regarding the future of the vessel and its crew will be made in the coming days.
At the same time, the U.S. is stepping up pressure on Iran and expanding the scope of its operations. General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that U.S. forces will pursue any vessels linked to Iran, even outside the Middle East.
Currently, U.S. destroyers are escorting at least two Iranian tankers off the west coast of India. The naval blockade of Iranian ports, in effect since April 13, has already forced at least 28 vessels to change course.
In addition, a third U.S. aircraft carrier—the USS George H.W. Bush—is expected to arrive in the region, currently en route via East Africa. Once it arrives, the U.S. naval presence in the region will be the largest since the start of the standoff with Iran.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran, while maintaining the blockade of Iranian ports until progress is made in negotiations.
Prior to this, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Iran had repeatedly violated the ceasefire since its implementation between Washington and Tehran. According to Trump, there have been numerous incidents that cast doubt on Iran’s compliance with the ceasefire agreements.
Trumpexpressed his willingness to meet personally with Iran’s new leadership.
US President Donald Trump also announced progress in negotiations with Iran, under which Washington would allegedly receive all of Tehran’s enriched uranium without any financial payments.
Additionally, Israel agreed to a 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon and announced the start of a move toward a diplomatic settlement; however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the war against Hezbollah is not yet over and military operations will continue.
Additionally, Iran announced new rules for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the world’s key oil supply routes. Commercial vessels will now be able to transit only with permission from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
