Off the coast of Oman, the Iranian Navy intercepted an oil tanker headed for the US that had 24 Indian crew members aboard, according to AFP.The crew members taken under such conditions are in “no danger,” according to the ship’s operator, a Turkish company named Advantage Tankers.
Similar incidents demonstrate that crew members of vessels taken in such situations are not in danger, the company added, noting that it was “in close contact with all relevant authorities to secure the release of the crew and vessel.”
The Seizure by the US UK EU
The seizure follows the tightening of sanctions against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps on April 24 by the US, UK, and EU in response to alleged human rights abuses by Tehran.Since the US withdrew from a global agreement that put a freeze on Iran’s nuclear programme in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions on its economy, tensions have risen.