Via Kathryn ArmstrongBBC News11 January 2024, 14:42 GMTUpdated 1 hour agoImage caption, Iran has warned it will reply to the United States seizure of the similar vessel, which up to now sailed underneath the identify Suez Rajan, final 12 months (document symbol)Iran has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker within the Gulf of Oman. Armed males dressed in mask reportedly boarded the vessel St Nikolas, just about the Omani port of Sohar, and ordered it to sail to an Iranian port.Iranian state media, quoting the military, stated the seizure was once in retaliation for the send and oil it had aboard being confiscated via the United States final 12 months. The St Nikolas was once in transit between the Iraqi port of Basra and its meant vacation spot in Turkey.UK Maritime Business Operations stated on Thursday it had won a file that 4 to 5 “unauthorised individuals”, reportedly dressed in “army taste black uniforms with black mask”, had boarded the send at 03:30 GMT.They added that communications with the vessel have been misplaced and the government had been investigating. Iranian state media quoted the military as announcing the vessel is American, even supposing it’s Greek-owned.The corporate that manages it, Empire Navigation, stated it was once loaded with 145,000 tonnes of crude oil and was once sporting 18 Filipinos and one Greek citizen as group.The St Nikolas was once seized in April via the United States underneath its earlier identify, the Suez Rajan, as a part of sanctions enforcement in opposition to Iran. Suez Rajan Restricted, which previously chartered the send, later pleaded to blame to conspiring to violate sanctions via covertly promoting and transporting oil in another country on behalf of Iran. America has known as for the instant liberate of the vessel and its group, describing the seizure as the most recent strive via Iran to disrupt world trade.”We imagine this type of motion will merely upload uncertainty for business transport and for regional and international economies,” stated US State Division spokesman Vedant Patel. This newest act seems to be become independent from assaults performed via Houthi rebels from Yemen within the Purple Sea at the reverse facet of the Arabian peninsula.Thursday’s incident was once in a unique ocean from the Houthis’ same old space of operations – the place they have got been attacking any ships they think of being related to Israel in retaliation for the rustic’s movements in Gaza. Service-based jets and warships shot down 21 drones and missiles introduced via the Iran-backed staff on Tuesday night time.The UN Safety Council handed a solution on Wednesday difficult a direct finish to the Houthi assaults.
