Iran denies US claims that it attempted to seize tankers near Hormuz
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The United States claims that Iran's Navy made two separate attempts to seize two oil tankers.
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Iranian warship sails while approaching Iran's southeastern port city of Chahbahar, in the Gulf of Oman, during exercises in December 2019 (AP)
An Iranian military source denied allegations made by the US Navy that Iran attempted to seize two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and that the US forces prevented it.
Earlier today, the Pentagon issued a statement claiming that US forces prevented two separate attempts by Iran's Navy to seize two commercial oil tankers in international waters off the coast of Oman, alleging that in one of these attempts, the Iranian forces opened fire toward the tanker.
Read more: Iran Navy blocks US aircraft from entering airspace
The US Central Command CENTCOM claimed that an Iranian vessel tried to seize a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker TRF Moss near the Gulf of Oman, and after about three hours, the vessel tried to seize the tanker Richmond Voyager that flies the flag of the Bahamas.
About a fifth of global shipments of crude oil and petroleum products pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from analytics firm Vortexa.
Since the beginning of this year, Iran has seized several oil tankers for violating international standards and navigation laws.
Read more: IRGC Navy announces naval maneuver in support of Palestine
Last June, the UAE announced its withdrawal from its participation in the US-led Middle East Maritime Security Alliance in the Gulf as a result of an assessment of its security ties.
Following the Gulf country's announcement, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani revealed that Iran's navy and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, India and Iraq will establish a new naval coalition in the near future.
He added then that the aforementioned countries have acknowledged that intra-regional cooperation can establish regional security.
Irani highlighted that almost all of the countries in the North Indian Ocean region have agreed to stand by Iran and exert strained efforts to establish security with significant synergy.
The United States conveyed dismay over the announcement, as it sees that its 5th fleet situated in Bahrain will become at risk if the naval bloc was formed.
Commenting on the admiral's statement, the US 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces Spokesperson Commander Tim Hawkins considered then that "it defies reason".
“It defies reason that Iran, the number one cause of regional instability, claims it wants to form a naval security alliance to protect the very waters it threatens,” Hawkins said as quoted by Breaking Defense.
