Iran seizes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

이란 “美유조선 나포“ 홍해 이어 ’원유 동맥’ 호르무즈 위기 Iran’s state media says Iran has captured an oil tanker destined for Türkiye in the Gulf of Oman. The confiscation is apparently retaliation for the same ship and oil that it had aboard being seized by the U.S. last year. Shin Ha-young starts us off. The Iranian navy seized an oil tanker, the St. Nikolas, in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday morning local time, according to Iran’s state-run Tasnim News Agency. The media outlet reported that the action was taken in compliance with an order from an Iranian court, and was allegedly in retaliation for the confiscation of the same tanker and Iranian oil by the U.S. last year. According to the BBC, the oil tanker was in transit between the Iraqi port of Basra to its intended destination in Türkiye when it was boarded by masked gunmen who ordered that the vessel’s course be altered toward an Iranian port There’s believed to be one Greek and 18 Filipino nationals aboard as crew members on the Marshell Islands-flagged ship. The location of the seizure is the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil trading route for major oil-production countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Iraq. One-third of the world’s natural gas consumption and one-sixth of the world’s oil passes through the region. In response, the White House strongly condemned the action and urged the ship’s immediate release. “The Iranian government should immediately release the ship and its crew. These provocative and unacceptable actions need to stop. We’ll continue to work with our allies and partners to deter and confront the full range of Iran’s concerning and destabilizing behavior in close coordination“ There is also speculation that the seizure may also be retaliation for ongoing tension in the Middle East. Iran has previously warned of a strong response to the conflict in Gaza, as well as the assassination of a Hezbollah leader, and airstrikes on Iran-linked facilities in Syria. And with attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships passing through the Red Sea, the capture of the St. Nikolas is expected to further intensify tensions in the region. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News. #Iran #oil_tanker #Gulf_of_Oman #StNikolas #Strait_of_Hormuz #Middle_East #이란 #호르무즈 #미국_유조선_나포 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-01-12, 09:00 (KST)