Global Courant 2023-04-27 22:57:51
TEHERAN
The Iranian army’s naval division said a Marshal Island-flagged “breach” ship was diverted to Iranian coastal waters in the Gulf of Oman late Wednesday after encountering an Iranian ship.
The ship collided with an Iranian ship in Persian Gulf waters on Wednesday, injuring some Iranian crew members and at least two people are still missing, the military said.
According to the statement, the “unknown ship” fled the scene “in violation of international maritime laws and regulations” that required it to deal with the injured Iranian crew.
He added that the ship was identified by the International Maritime Safety Center (IMSC), located in the southeast port city of Chabahar, and then seized by court order.
Earlier on Thursday, the US Navy said that a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker was seized by Iranian naval forces in the Gulf of Oman, identifying it as Advantage Sweet.
The U.S. Naval Central Command said the ship was captured “as it passed through international waters in the Gulf of Oman”, attributing to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
Satellite tracking data showed the Texas-bound tanker docked in the Gulf of Oman, north of Muscat, the Oman capital, on Thursday, after arriving from Kuwait.
“Iran’s actions are against international law and disrupt regional security and stability,” said the US 5th Fleet based in the Middle East. “Iran must release the oil tanker immediately.”
The statement also said that Iran has “unlawfully” seized at least five commercial vessels in the Middle East region in the past two years.
The incident came amid growing tensions between Tehran and Washington, fueled by the stalemate in talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and the Ukraine war.
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