Iran on May 3 seized a second oil tanker in a week in Gulf waters, and the U.S. State Department called for its release, in the latest escalation in a series of seizures or attacks on commercial vessels in Gulf waters. The U.S. Navy said in a statement that the Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGCN) while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran's prosecutor said the oil tanker was seized on a judicial order following a complaint by a plaintiff, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said. No further details were provided. To read the original story by Reuters, click here.
Iran Seizes Second Oil Tanker In A Week In Gulf, Says U.S. Navy
A U.S. Navy handout screenshot of a video shows fast-attack craft from the IRGC swarming Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Niovi as it transits the Strait of Hormuz on May 3.