A United States destroyer warship has intercepted two oil tankers trying to depart from Iran. The incident took place on April 14, a day after the implementation of President Donald Trump’s blockade. An anonymous US official revealed that the destroyer directed the tankers to change course.
The tankers set off from Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman and were contacted by the warship using radio communication. It remains unclear if any additional warnings were issued. This event sheds more light on the commencement of Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports at the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade’s objective is to compel Iran to reopen the strait, a vital route through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported. With over 10,000 US troops, a dozen warships, and numerous aircraft involved, the US blockade is an effort to push Iran to adhere to US terms for a peace agreement.
Tensions between the US and Iran escalated on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on key Iranian sites, prompting Iran to close the strait and retaliate across the Middle East, escalating the conflict in the region. A temporary ceasefire between the two nations is set to expire soon, with both sides expressing openness to further discussions.
According to a US official cited by Reuters, the two tankers were part of six merchant vessels instructed by the US Central Command to return to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. Since the blockade started on Monday at 10 am in Washington, Central Command reported that no ships have breached the blockade.
