Iran says stopped US seizing tanker in Gulf of Oman: state TV

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Tuesday said it thwarted a United States act of “piracy” when it attempted to seize a tanker carrying Iranian oil exports in the Gulf of Oman, state TV reported. 

IRIB news reported the United States attempted to “steal” the oil, but naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized control of the tanker and brought it back to Iranian waters.

The report did not say when this occurred or where the tanker was headed. 

The IRGC will release footage of the incident, according to Press TV.

Iran's oil sector is under US sanctions imposed after former president Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal. Talks began earlier this year to revive the accord after President Joe Biden said he wanted to rejoin in order to rein in Iran's expanding nuclear program. The negotiations have been stalled since June when they were suspended to allow for a new government to come into power in Iran. Tehran is now under pressure to resume the talks and has indicated it could do so by the end of the month. 

Last week, however, Tehran said the US was “not trustworthy” after Washington announced new sanctions on its drone program. The US said Iran and its proxies have used drones to attack US interests and international shipping.