The US Navy on Wednesday prevented Iranian forces from seizing two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, AP reported, raising tensions between the countries as they seek to ease relations strained by Iran’s nuclear program and detention of foreign nationals.
Iranian forces fired at the tankers, but did not cause casualties or significant damage, the report said, citing US Navy Fifth Fleet spokesman Tim Hawkins. The Iranian ships backed off after the U.S. Navy responded to distress signals in the area, AP said.
The move comes days after a tanker truck that the United States had seized for allegedly transporting Iranian crude arrived in Texas.
This year, Iran has seized control of at least three tankers around the waterway, a key transit route for oil exports from the Persian Gulf, citing court complaints and falsified lease documents.
Relations between the US and Iran have been strained since the effective collapse in 2018 of a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program. After the last confirmed seizure of ships in March, the two countries have held indirect talks on exchanging prisoners and releasing Iranian funds frozen abroad due to sanctions.
