Washington (Monitoring Desk) According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US Navy guided-missile destroyer has intercepted an Iranian-flagged oil tanker.
In its statement, CENTCOM said the operation was carried out when the vessel attempted to head toward an Iranian port. US authorities stated that the move is part of measures related to the blockade of Iranian ports.
According to Marine Traffic data, the tanker was carrying crude oil and was last seen near the Strait of Malacca approximately two weeks ago.
On the other hand, Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the action, calling it piracy and armed robbery on the high seas. Tehran has previously also reacted strongly to the seizure of two other Iranian-linked oil tankers following similar US operations.
Experts say increasing tensions over maritime routes could further pressure global oil supply chains and the international energy market.
