Iran has denied the US claim that its navy tried to seize two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman on Wednesday, July 5, Mehr News agency reported.
The US central command in a statement on Wednesday had claimed that its naval forces prevented the Iranian navy from seizing two oil tankers—first, the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss, and later, the Bahamas-flagged Richmond Voyager—in the open Sea of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.
The US claimed that Iranian navy vessels fled once US vessels appeared on the scene. It also claimed that the Iranian navy opened fire on a tanker during one of those attempts.
Iranian media did not provide any details but quoted a senior military source as denying that any such incident took place.
Tanker War
The incident is the latest in the so-called “tanker war” between the US and Iran, which has extended beyond the Persian Gulf.
The US had seized some Iranian oil tankers after the Donald Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal, in May 2018. The rationale offered by the US at that time was the violation of its sanctions on Syria, which are illegal.
In response to these seizures and also due to other reasons, Iran has also seized tankers passing through the Persian Gulf. In April, Iran seized two oil tankers due to some legal disputes. Iran has also on occasion alleged that the seized oil tankers were involved in illegal or illicit trade.
The US has claimed the Iranian activities amount to a threat to regional security. Wednesday’s statement also reiterated the allegation, saying that “since 2021 Iran has harassed, attacked or seized nearly 20 internationally flagged merchant vessels, presenting a clear threat to regional maritime security and the global economy.”
Iran denies the US allegations and claims instead that the presence of US troops and its naval command in the region amounts to external intervention in regional matters and is a threat to regional security.
The US Navy’s central command is located in Bahrain and its forces are deployed in several other countries in the region.
Iran has offered to create a regional maritime alliance with countries in the Persian Gulf region as an alternative to the dependence on the US for security. The proposal has been opposed by the US as it would threaten its hegemonic presence in the region.
The Persian Gulf is one of the most important sea routes for energy transport across the world. According to various sources, around 20-25% of the world’s oil exports pass through this sea.
