Oil tanker at centre of US-Iran dispute seized off Oman coast

Oil tanker at centre of US-Iran dispute seized off Oman coast

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An oil tanker linked to dispute between Iran and the US has been seized off the coast of Oman, in a raid UK maritime authorities said was carried out by individuals in black military-style uniforms. 

The seizure of the tanker suggests that threats to shipping in the Middle East, already at their highest level in decades, have spread from the Red Sea to the Gulf.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen have launched more than 25 attacks on commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea since November, prompting threats of a military response by western powers.

UK Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors shipping incidents in the region, said a vessel had been boarded by four to five “armed unauthorised persons” at 3:30am GMT on Thursday, adding they were reported to be “wearing military-style black uniforms”. It said they had lost contact with the vessel. 

Tanker Trackers, a private maritime intelligence service, identified the tanker as the St Nikolas and carrying Iraqi oil. The vessel, previously called the Suez Rajan, was seized by US authorities last year for transporting Iranian oil, sparking a retaliatory seizure by Iran of a tanker carrying Kuwaiti oil