Iran retaliates after US oil confiscation, seizes oil tanker bound for States

May 01, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are on the rise after both sides seized oil tankers at sea. First the U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker said to have violated U.S. sanctions. But Iran doesn’t acknowledge the sanctions the U.S. has put on the country as a deterrent against the country’s nuclear program. As a result, Iran confiscated an oil tanker bound for the U.S. in retaliation.

That seizure was caught on camera with footage of Iran’s capture airing in Tehran.

This is something that has happened before. Iran responded to oil seizures by seizing other oil on the waters.

According to Straight Arrow News contributor and geopolitical analyst Peter Zeihan, this could create a larger issue.

While it doesn’t necessarily hurt the U.S., Zeihan says it could make trading allies leery of using international routes if they feel products can’t safely make it to the U.S.

“The United States, bit by bit, under Obama, under Biden, under Trump, have all basically steadily reduced the American commitment to the maritime order that allows global trade and global energy trades to work. And so this Advantage Sweet, this tanker that’s gone, the U.S. doesn’t really care,” Zeihan said.

U.S. Navy officials say this is at least the fifth commercial vessel taken by Tehran in the last two years.

Tags: Iran, Oil, Trade

KARAH RUCKER: TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN ARE ON THE RISE AFTER LAST WEEK’S TIT FOR TAT SEIZING OF OIL TANKERS AT SEA. FIRST THE U.S. CONFISCATED IRANIAN OIL ON A TANKER SAID TO HAVE VIOLATED U.S. SANCTIONS.

BUT IRAN DOESN’T ACKNOWLEDGE THE SANCTIONS THE U.S. HAS PUT ON THE COUNTRY AS A DETERRENT AGAINST THE COUNTRY’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM – THEREFORE CONFISCATING AN OIL TANKER BOUND FOR THE U.S IN RETALIATION.

THAT SEIZURE WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH FOOTAGE OF IRAN’S CAPTURE AIRING IN TEHRAN.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IRAN RESPONDING TO OIL SEIZURES BY SEIZING OTHER OIL ON THE WATERS. ACCORDING TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS CONTRIBUTOR AND GEOPOLITICAL ANALYST PETER ZEIHAN –

THIS COULD CREATE A LARGER ISSUE. WHILE IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY HURT THE U.S. – ZEIHAN SAYS IT COULD MAKE TRADING ALLIES LEERY OF USING INTERNATIONAL ROUTES IF THEY FEEL PRODUCTS CAN’T SAFELY MAKE IT TO THE U-S.

PETER ZEIHAN | GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGIST: “THE UNITED STATES, BIT BY BIT, UNDER OBAMA, UNDER BIDEN, UNDER TRUMP, HAVE ALL BASICALLY STEADILY REDUCED THE AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO THE MARITIME ORDER THAT ALLOWS GLOBAL TRADE AND GLOBAL ENERGY TRADES TO WORK, AND SO THIS ADVANTAGE SWEET, THIS TANKER THAT’S GONE, THE U.S. DOESN’T REALLY CARE.”

U.S. NAVY OFFICIALS SAY THIS IS AT LEAST THE FIFTH COMMERCIAL VESSEL TAKEN BY TEHRAN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.