“Risk of Seizure”
US naval spokesman warns of Iranian waters
08/13/2023, 8:19 p.m
Tehran has seized international merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz on several occasions in recent years. The United States recently sent thousands of soldiers to protect ships. Several security organs are now advising to avoid Iranian territorial waters.
The International Maritime Security Alliance (IMSC) has issued a safety alert for vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf over possible seizure by Iran. The ships are advised to “stay as far away from Iranian territorial waters as possible,” US Fifth Fleet spokesman Tim Hawkins told AFP.
The Washington-led IMSC is informing merchant vessels in the region of appropriate precautions “to minimize the risk of seizure” due to current regional tensions,” he added.
Founded in 2019, the alliance consists of eleven countries, including the USA, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Their job, according to their website, is “to provide security for merchant shipping in the Middle East region.”
In addition, the UK Maritime Alert Center (UKMTO) said it had been made aware of “an increased threat near the Strait of Hormuz”. The agency advised all ships to “exercise caution” and report any suspicious activity to it.
Attack warning “in the next twelve to 72 hours”
In a statement, the maritime security company Ambrey also said that it had been warned by Greek and US authorities, among others, “of an attack on a merchant ship… in the Strait of Hormuz in the next 12 to 72 hours”. The Iranian authorities have not yet responded to the various warnings.
The Strait of Hormuz is a very important sea route for the transport of oil. About a fifth of the oil traded worldwide is transported via the route between the coasts of Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
More than 3,000 US Marines and Marines arrived in the region on Monday. They are intended to be used on merchant ships operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The US military would thus additionally secure the trade routes already monitored with warships and fighter jets.
The background to the operations are several incidents in which Iran had confiscated or attacked tankers in the Persian Gulf in recent years. According to US information, Tehran has seized or attempted to seize 20 ships flying the flag of other countries in the past two years.
Iran confiscated two oil tankers in the region within a week in the spring. In July, an Iranian Navy ship attempted to take control of two merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.