Iran seizes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman in international waters on Thursday, the U.S. Navy has said.

Iran's state television IRIB News reported on its Telegram channel that the Iranian navy had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged ship, but gave no further details.

Maritime security company Ambrey said it was boarded via helicopter and seized by the IRGCN off the coast of Bandar-e Jask in Iran.

The US Navy identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet which, according to Refinitiv ship tracking data, is a Suezmax crude tanker which had been chartered by oil major Chevron and had last docked in Kuwait.

The ship issued a distress call during the seizure, the US Navy statement said

They called on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGCN) to immediately release the tanker.

According to the International Maritime Organisation shipping database, the Advantage Sweet is owned by a China-registered company called SPDBFL No One Hundred & Eighty-Seven (Tianjin) Ship Leasing Co Ltd.

Its manager is listed as Genel Denizcilik Nakliyati AS, a Turkey-based company which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iranian authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.