Iran's Revolutionary Guard confirmed the seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Talara in the Gulf of Iran, in an operation that has once again brought maritime security into focus along one of the world's most strategic energy routes.
According to an official statement from the Iranian regime's military, cited by the AFP news agency, the action took place this Friday at 7:30 a.m. local time, following a court order authorizing the confiscation of the ship's cargo, which they accused of transporting unauthorized merchandise.
The Talara, which was carrying 30,000 tons of petrochemical products and was destined for Singapore, was intercepted by rapid reaction units of the Revolutionary Guard near the Strait of Hormuz, a key area for the global trade of oil and gas.
According to information provided by Columbia Shipmanagement and the British center UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the Talara had departed from Ajman in the United Arab Emirates and was boarded about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan.
The last communication with the vessel was recorded at 08:22 local time (04:22 UTC), at which point the ship made an abrupt turn toward Iranian waters. Columbia Shipmanagement reported that it lost contact with the tanker, which was carrying high-sulfur diesel, and that it notified the relevant authorities while collaborating with maritime safety agencies and the vessel's owner, Cyprus-based Pasha Finance, to re-establish communication.
The crew's nationality has not been specified and their situation remains uncertain.
Maritime security firms such as Ambrey and Neptune P2P Group detailed that three small vessels approached the Talara before it changed course towards the Iranian coast.
Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence at Vanguard Tech, told AFP that the operation was led by the Revolutionary Guard, although she noted that “Iran is likely to present this as a court-ordered and law-based action, concealing what could simply be a strategic seizure.”
Iranian and Emirati authorities have not issued official comments on the incident.
The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, said in a statement that it is monitoring the situation and stressed that"commercial vessels have the right to navigate and trade on the high seas without restrictions."
The incident has generated international concern, given the central role of the Strait of Hormuz in the transit of about 20% of global crude oil trade.
Background and regional context in the Strait of Hormuz
The regional context adds complexity to the incident. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has carried out several ship seizures in recent years, officially justified by alleged legal violations, although experts and risk firms such as Vanguard Tech and Neptune P2P Group warn that these actions are often driven by strategic interests or political pressure.
Neptune P2P Group considered that “the incident appears to be the latest in a series of illegal seizures of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman in recent years, but it is the first since the capture of the MSC Aries in April 2024.”
In May 2022, Iran seized two Greek oil tankers and, more recently, detained the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, amid reprisals and regional tensions.
The Strait of Hormuz, under constant surveillance by the US Navy and the international coalition, has been the scene of an escalation of incidents following clashes between Iran, Israel and United States, as well as recent bombings on Iranian nuclear facilities.
