Iran has taken control UAE oil tanker and Abu Dhabi kept silent
American leaks revealed Iran’s control of a Western oil tanker belonging to the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz with the waters of the Arabian Gulf, without any declaration from Abu Dhabi.
US intelligence officials are looking into the incident that resulted after Iran forced a tanker of Emirati points to enter Iranian territorial waters and control it for hours.
The incident, which has been kept secret and has not been issued by the governments of the UAE or Iran, is said by US investigators to be a “complete Iranian arrest of a foreign oil tanker of an ally of the United States.”
The Panama-flagged tanker, M / I RIAH, is believed to have been seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) last Saturday.
US intelligence information indicated that the IRGC had forced the tanker to enter Iranian territorial waters before being withdrawn to Iran’s Qeshm Island.
Despite the disclosure of this information, but what happened with the carrier remains a subject of discussion within the corridors of the US intelligence, according to officials, according to “CNN.”
Washington received reports from UAE sources that the tanker had been hit by a mechanical failure and had been withdrawn to Iran for repairs.
There was no official comment from the UAE, but all US officials noted that there was no communication between the crew of the tanker or its owners or any of the two governments, which should happen in the case of a routine repair.
A theory is analyzed within the corridors of the US intelligence, saying that this action from Iran comes in response to Panama’s announcement that it will continue to withdraw its flags from ships that violate US sanctions against Iran.
The incident comes after the British army seized an Iranian oil tanker in the Gibraltar area earlier this month, sparking Iranian anger. The British ambassador threatened leaders of the Revolutionary Guards retaliation.
A few days ago, Washington said Iranian boats had tried to harass and control a British oil tanker in retaliation for Britain’s move. However, the presence of a British frigate near the tanker prevented it from doing anything.
The attack on commercial ships near the port of Fujairah triggered weeks of worrying repercussions in the already embattled UAE.
