Iran Confiscates US-bound Oil Tanker in Tit-For-Tat Action

Iran confiscated a US bound oil tanker in the Persian Gulf Wednesday following what it calls a “court order.”

As per Iranian media reports, the court ruled after a lawsuit was filed by Iranian patients suffering from a rare genetic skin disorder, Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) who alleged that a Swedish manufacturer of specialized bandages refused to sell to Iran due to U.S. and Western sanctions.

The order was reportedly issued by the International Relations Legal Court in Tehran.

”The court's decision led to the seizure of the US oil cargo from the ADVANTAGE SWEET tanker, estimated to be worth over $50 million,” IRNA reported.

This seizure comes in the wake of similar incidents, such as the January 2024 seizure of the St Nikolas tanker, reflecting Iran's determination to retaliate against US sanctions, the report said.

According to the Marine Executive, “the timing of the seizure of the Advantage Sweet came shortly after reports emerged that the U.S. had moved to seize an Iranian oil cargo of approximately one million barrels loaded aboard a Greek tanker, the Suez Rajan which at the time was anchored off Singapore. The U.S. action was taken on behalf of the families of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks in New York and Washington D.C. The cargo was ultimately offloaded in Texas and sold with the proceeds going to the compensation fund.”

According to Agence France Press, Iran currently holds 90 crew members hostage and has seized five tankers.