The Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker Talara was reportedly intercepted and directed into Iranian territorial waters while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. and private maritime sources said. A U.S. MQ‑4C Triton drone monitored the area, and Columbia Shipmanagement reported it had "lost contact" with the vessel carrying high‑sulphur gasoil. Private security firms and the UKMTO said small boats and possible state activity were involved. The move comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows years of maritime incidents attributed to Iran and Iran‑aligned groups.
Iranian Forces Reportedly Seize Marshall Islands‑Flagged Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
The Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker Talara was reportedly intercepted and directed into Iranian territorial waters while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. and private maritime sources said. A U.S. MQ‑4C Triton drone monitored the area, and Columbia Shipmanagement reported it had "lost contact" with the vessel carrying high‑sulphur gasoil. Private security firms and the UKMTO said small boats and possible state activity were involved. The move comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows years of maritime incidents attributed to Iran and Iran‑aligned groups.
10:52 PM, 11/14/2025Security
Iranian Forces Reportedly Seize Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Dubai — Iranian forces reportedly intercepted the Marshall Islands‑flagged oil tanker Talara as it transited the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Friday, U.S. officials and private maritime security sources said, diverting the vessel into Iranian territorial waters.
Iran did not immediately confirm the action. The move occurred amid heightened regional tensions following a 12‑day flare-up in June — an episode that officials say included strikes on Iranian facilities — and comes as Tehran has issued increasingly forceful warnings about its ability to retaliate.
According to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, the Talara was en route from Ajman in the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when Iranian forces intercepted the ship. Reuters, citing British maritime risk manager Vanguard and other security sources, reported that personnel with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) steered the tanker toward Iranian waters.
Flight‑tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed a U.S. Navy MQ‑4C Triton surveillance drone circling the area for hours while the seizure unfolded. Private security firm Ambrey told the AP the operation involved three small boats approaching the tanker, and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said a possible "state activity" forced the vessel into Iranian territorial waters.
Cyprus‑based Columbia Shipmanagement later confirmed it had "lost contact" with the Talara, which was carrying high‑sulphur gasoil. The company said it had notified relevant authorities and was coordinating with maritime security agencies and the vessel owner, adding that "the safety of the crew remains our foremost priority."
The U.S. Navy has previously blamed Iran for a series of limpet‑mine attacks on tankers in 2019 and for a deadly drone strike on an Israeli‑linked oil tanker in 2021 that killed two European crew members.
Those incidents followed the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal during President Donald Trump's administration. The last major seizure before this year occurred in May 2022, when Iran detained two Greek tankers and held them until November 2022. Maritime security analysts note that many earlier incidents were later overshadowed by Iranian‑backed Houthi attacks that severely disrupted traffic through the Red Sea.
Iran has long threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf through which roughly one‑fifth of the world's traded oil passes. The U.S. Navy, operating its Bahrain‑based 5th Fleet, maintains patrols in the region to help keep international waterways open.