Revolutionary Guard Warns Against Unloading Oil from Seized Tanker

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported today, Thursday, that the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Navy, Ali Reza Tangsiri, stated that Tehran will respond to any oil company that attempts to unload Iranian oil from a seized tanker. Three sources told Reuters that the United States seized Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in an operation to enforce sanctions in April. According to ship tracking data on Thursday, the tanker is anchored off the port of Houston. Official media quoted Tangsiri as saying that Tehran will hold Washington responsible for allowing the unloading of the tanker’s cargo, without providing further details. Previous reports from informed sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, indicated that Washington seized the oil shipment on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Suez Rajan after a court order. The United States announced on Monday that it would send additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets along with a warship to the Middle East to monitor vital waterways in the region, following Iran's seizure and harassment of commercial shipping in recent months. A maritime security company reported that Iran seized a tanker days later in relation to the incident that occurred in April.