According to Mehr news agency, the captain of the oil tanker Talala, which was seized by Iran in the Persian Gulf, confirmed that all 21 crew members are in good health and that the vessel is safely anchored near Bandar Abbas.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) navy announced on Saturday that it had seized the foreign tanker Talala off the southern coast of Makran in accordance with a judicial order, citing efforts to protect national interests and resources.
The Revolutionary Guards Navy Press Service announced that the tanker Talala was seized by the Revolutionary Guards Navy in order to protect the interests and resources of the Iranian state.
The Revolutionary Guards Navy’s rapid reaction force monitored the movements of the tanker carrying commercial cargo at 7:30 a.m. local time on Friday after receiving a judicial order ordering the vessel’s seizure, the statement said. The ship, operating under the commercial name Talala and flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, has since been captured.
The tanker was heading to Singapore, carrying 30,000 tonnes of petrochemicals.
The Revolutionary Guards Navy said the operation was carried out in accordance with legal responsibilities and aimed at protecting the national interests and resources of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The force added that accurate reporting requires a full review of the cargo, inspection of the vessel and verification of documentation, which is currently being carried out by IRGC officials.
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