US Tanker Encountered by Iranian Gunboats in Strait of Hormuz

US Tanker : According to British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, a US-flagged tanker was approached and challenged by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz before completing its journey.

Three pairs of Revolutionary Guards small armed boats approached the Stena Imperative while it was crossing the strait around 16 nautical miles (30 kilometers) north of Oman, according to the firm.

The gunboats radioed it, asking the captain to “stop the engines and prepare to be boarded,” but the ship gained speed and stayed on track, according to the firm, emphasizing that it did not violate Iranian national waters.

According to Vanguard Tech, “a US warship is now escorting the vessel.”

The event was previously reported by UKMTO, the British maritime security agency, which did not identify the nationality of the ship or the boats that approached it.

Iran’s Claim Over US Tanker Movement

Iranian units “requested” that the vessel show the required authorization after it unlawfully entered the country’s territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Iranian news outlet Fars.According to Fars, the ship was not authorized by law to be in these waters. “It was therefore warned and immediately left Iranian waters.”

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Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz

The strait, a critical crossing for the global transport of oil and liquefied natural gas, has been the site of various catastrophes in the past.

Last week, a senior Iranian official from the Revolutionary Guards naval forces, the Islamic Republic’s ideological army, vowed to block the passage if the US attacked.

Rising US–Iran Tensions

Following last month’s fatal crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, US President Donald Trump threatened military action against the country and dispatched a flotilla of warships to the Middle East.

Trump has expressed hope that Washington can “work something out” with Tehran, but has also warned that “bad things would happen” if an agreement is not achieved. Meanwhile, Iran insists on diplomacy while pledging a severe response to any invasion.

As of last week, at least ten US warships, including an aircraft carrier and at least five destroyers, were en route to Iran’s coastal waters, a deployment Mr. Trump has referred to as a “armada,” which he hopes he will not have to use.

U.S. and Iranian officials are slated to meet at the end of this week.