Reply To The United States, Iran Confiscates Turkey's Destination Tanker In Oman Bay

The tanker St. Nikolas. (Source: Vessel Finder/Yevgeniy)

JAKARTA - Iran seized a tanker carrying Iraqi crude oil to Turkey on Thursday in retaliation for last year's seizure of Tehran ships and oil by the United States, Iranian state media reported, an action that could trigger regional tensions.

The ship that was seized was the St. Nikolas ship and the Marshall Islands flag. The confiscation coincided with an increase in the Houthi militant attack on the Red Sea cruise route.

"After the theft of Iranian oil by the United States last year, the tanker St Nikolas was seized by the Iranian Navy this morning on a court order, on its way to Iran's port," Fars reported, citing a Navy statement.

Meanwhile, armed intruders boarded the St Nikolas ship as the ship sailed near Sohar City in Oman, then its AIS tracking system was shut down as the ship headed towards the Bandar-e-Jask port in Iran, according to maritime security firm Ambrey.

"Communication with the oil tanker, St Nikolas, under the Marshall Islands flag and owned by Greek ship owner Empire Navigation was cut off at around 06:30 a.m. January 11 in Oman waters," Turkish oil refinery Tupras (TUPRS.IS) told Reuters in an emailed statement, confirming it had purchased the cargo from the Iraqi government's marketer SOMO.

"This incident has no impact on our refinery operations," he added.

The ship loaded about 145,000 metric tons of oil at Iraqi Basra Port, heading to Aliaga in western Turkey via the Suez Canal, Empire Navigation told Reuters. It said it had lost contact with the ship manned by 19 crew members including 18 Filipino citizens and one Greek national.

Far apart in Washington DC, the Pentagon said Iranian troops illegally boarded the St Nikolas ship in Oman Bay, forcing it to change course towards Iranian territorial waters.

Likewise with the White House which also condemned the confiscation of the ship.

"There is no justification whatsoever to confiscate it, no reason whatsoever. They have to let it go," said White House national security spokesman John Kirby.

The US seized the St Nikolas ship last year in a sanctions enforcement operation, as the ship sailed under different names, Suez Rajan. Iran warned the US that the action "would not be left alone"