By The Opinion
The US Navy intercepted and boarded a tanker sanctioned that was sailing with Iranian crude oil in the Indian Ocean, the War Department of the North American country reported this Thursday, which maintains a naval blockade of the coasts of the Islamic Republic.
“During the night, US forces carried out a maritime interdiction and boarding in exercise of the right of visit of the sanctioned ship M/T Majestic X, without a flagwhich was transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the Indopacom area of responsibility” (Indo-Pacific Command), the Pentagon published in X.
Along with the message, the military command published images of the interception operation in which you can see how the US troops board the ship, including a video where a soldier can be heard warning the Majestic X by radio that they were about to board.
“We will continue to apply global maritime law enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and intercept vessels providing shipping support to Iran, wherever they operate. “International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors,” the War Department said.
Last Tuesday, the Pentagon announced the boarding of the sanctioned tanker M/T Tifani in the Indo-Pacific, linked to Iran, one more pressure action to cut off financing channels to the Persian country during the ceasefire in the war started by the US and Israel on February 28.
These interdictions take place amid the total blockade of the Iranian coasts ordered by US President Donald Trump.after a first round of peace negotiations without results and after Tehran interrupted the passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route through which 20% of the world’s crude oil passed.
Trump announced last Sunday that his country’s Navy fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break through the siege.
In total, the US has interrupted the passage of at least 31 ships since the naval blockade of Iran began, according to figures published the day before by the Central Command (Centcom).
More than 10,000 US military personnel, some 17 warships and 100 aircraft patrol the waters near Iran to ensure that no vessels enter and leave their ports, according to Centcom.
The US president indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran until the Government of the Islamic Republic, which he considers divided, presents him with a unified agreement proposal and affirmed that there is a possibility that peace negotiations will resume next Friday in Pakistan.
Amid the tensions, the Pentagon announced this Wednesday the departure of the United States Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, after several months of reports of internal disputes between the leadership of the renamed War Department and senior military ranks. EFE
Keep reading:
- Donald Trump takes credit for stopping executions of women in Iran
- Trump says that “it is possible” to resume negotiations with Iran next Friday
- Iran attacks and seizes ships in Hormuz and raises tension despite extended truce
