‘Return of the pirates’: Iran accuses US of ‘armed robbery on high seas’ after oil tanker seizures

Iranian authoritative Esmaeil Baqaei connected Tuesday accused the United States of efficaciously legitimising piracy aft it seized 2 vessels allegedly carrying Iranian lipid successful the Indian Ocean.Describing the determination arsenic a superior breach of planetary law, Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s overseas ministry, said it amounted to “the outright legalization of piracy and equipped robbery connected the precocious seas.”“Welcome to the instrumentality of the pirates — lone now, they run with government-issued warrants, sail nether authoritative flags, and telephone their plunder ‘law enforcement’,” helium wrote successful a station connected X, adding that Washington “must beryllium held afloat accountable for this brazenly lawless behavior,” which helium warned undermines planetary commercialized and maritime security.

The remarks came aft US authorities announced the interdiction of 2 tankers suspected of transporting Iranian crude. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said successful a station connected X that forces seized the tanker M/T Majestic formerly known arsenic M/T Phoenix, nether a national warrant, alleging it was carrying astir 1.9 cardinal barrels of Iranian oil.She said a 2nd vessel, M/T Tifani, had besides been seized earlier successful the week with a akin quantity of crude.

“Overnight, pursuant to a seizure warrant submitted by my bureau and signed by a national magistrate, US forces interdicted the acheronian fleet vessel… portion carrying astir 1.9 cardinal barrels of Iranian oil,” Pirro said.She added that the US would “continue to relentlessly investigate, track, and prosecute these cases” to clasp sanctioned actors accountable and curb illicit maritime trade, describing the actions arsenic portion of efforts to disrupt networks progressive successful transporting sanctioned oil.The interceptions travel arsenic the United States steps up enforcement against Iran’s seaborne lipid commercialized during a fragile ceasefire successful the ongoing conflict. According to Reuters, US forces person progressively operated beyond the Strait of Hormuz, targeting vessels successful unfastened waters to trim risks from threats specified arsenic floating mines.The maritime standoff has further disrupted planetary vigor proviso chains. The Strait of Hormuz, a cardinal transit way for astir a 5th of planetary lipid and state flows, has seen reduced traffic, intensifying proviso concerns and contributing to a broader vigor crunch.The seizures travel amid heightened tensions betwixt Washington and Tehran, peculiarly implicit sanctions enforcement and maritime enactment linked to Iranian lipid exports.