The US had seized the ship in a sanctions operation when it was named Suez Rajan. Iran had warned that this action would not go unanswered
The under the flag of Marshall Islands Greek-owned tanker, seized on Thursday by Iran in the Gulf of Oman, was located east of the Iranian island of KeshmTankerTrackers.com said in a listing on Platform X.
Iran seized the St Nikolas, which was carrying Iraqi crude bound for Turkey, in retaliation for the United States’ seizure last year of the same vessel carrying Iranian oil, Iranian state media reported.
“The Greek-owned, UK-insured and Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax tanker ST NIKOLAS ... loaded with 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil, spotted today east of Qeshm Island, Iran… AIS (Automatic Vessel Identification System) is out of service,” TankerTrackers said in a post on Saturday.
The Greek-owned, UK-insured and Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax tanker ST NIKOLAS (9524475), laden with 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil, has been located today east of Qeshm Island, Iran. She was hijacked two days ago in the Gulf of Oman by the Iranian Navy. AIS is offline. pic.twitter.com/xMzLmCAIRA
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) January 13, 2024
The US had seized the ship in a sanctions operation when it was named Suez Rajan. Iran had warned that the this action would not go unanswered.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency had carried a Navy statement on Thursday that said the tanker St Nikolas was on its way to Iranian ports.
Reuters notes that the seizure of St Nikolas coincides with weeks of attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen targeting the Red Sea shipping lanes.
Video of the operation to seize the tanker was released by Iranian TV:
🚨 Scenes from Iranian television of the seizure of the American oil tanker by the Iranian Navy pic.twitter.com/HRqKq7D5M0
— Dr. Zeid Moustapha (@Drzeidmoustapha) January 13, 2024
Source :Skai
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