On Monday, Iranian media reported that an oil tanker owned by a UAE company was seized while passing through the Strait of Hormuz for allegedly breaching 'transit arrangements' imposed by Tehran on vessels navigating the strategic waterway.
The Iranian news agency 'Fars' indicated that maritime navigation data revealed the tanker was stopped during its transit of the strait, noting that the seizure took place near Iran’s Qeshm Island.
According to the Iranian account, Tehran requires oil tankers wishing to pass through to use a specified route within the strait, in addition to paying service fees and obtaining prior permission from Iranian authorities.
'Fars' stated that the tanker violated these arrangements, leading to its detention, without disclosing the ship's name, its cargo, or the name of the owning company, and the status of its crew remains unclear.
There has been no official statement yet from Iranian or Emirati authorities confirming all the details of the incident independently, but international media have reported the news based on the Iranian reports.
This incident occurs amidst sharply escalating tensions over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, where the number of transiting ships has significantly decreased in recent days following a series of attacks and maritime incidents. Ship tracking data has shown a sharp decline in the movement of tankers and commodity ships compared to levels recorded before the outbreak of hostilities.
The seizure of the tanker follows hours after a senior Iranian official announced Tehran’s shift from a defensive stance to a 'fully offensive' policy, hinting at escalating measures in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomatic efforts with the United States fail.
Regulating ship traffic in Hormuz is one of the major points of contention between Washington and Tehran, as Iran insists on its right to impose arrangements on transiting ships, while the United States rejects these demands, asserting the right to free navigation through the strait.
In recent days, tensions have further escalated between Iran and the UAE after tankers linked to the company 'ADNOC' came under attack while transiting the strait, for which Abu Dhabi has held Tehran responsible.