US forces board sanctioned tanker for transferring Iranian oil

US military intercepts Iranian oil tanker amid talks uncertainty

The U.S. military recently carried out an overnight operation against a stateless crude oil tanker, which is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). This announcement was made by the U.S. Department of the Army on Tuesday.

In this operation, U.S. forces boarded the tanker named M/T Tiffany. It had previously been authorized by the U.S. Department of State for its role in transferring Iranian oil between vessels.

Open-source ocean tracking data showed that the ship was situated in the Indian Ocean, close to Sri Lanka. A Pentagon statement emphasized that the U.S. would continue to take actions to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels that support Iran. It concluded with a strong reminder that sanctioned vessels won’t find refuge in international waters.

The Tiffany’s last known movements indicated it departed from Dongjiakou, China, in late March after allegedly loading oil from Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal. Interestingly, the ship had previously flown the flags of various nations, including Botswana and Panama, and had engaged in at least two other transfers involving U.S.-sanctioned Iranian tankers.

Intended for the Riau Islands near Singapore, the tanker was expected to make its way to mainland China eventually. Reports have indicated that M/T Tiffany also engages in dubious operations, as it frequently turns off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), a requirement for all vessels over 300 gross tons on international voyages.

This marked the second naval operation by the U.S. military against Iranian-affiliated vessels within a short span of time. Just days earlier, U.S. forces had boarded the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska, which was accused of attempting to bypass a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The USS Spruance, a guided missile destroyer, was instrumental in the operation, successfully disabling the ship’s propulsion system.

Both the Tiffany and Touska have previously docked in China, suggesting a potential route for sanctioned oil trade between Iran and China. In response to the seizure of the Touska, China’s Foreign Ministry labeled the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as “delicate and complicated.”