Overview
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a judicial order led its naval units to intercept the Talara and take it into Iranian waters over alleged cargo violations.
- The tanker was sailing from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when its manager, Columbia Shipmanagement, reported losing contact near Khor Fakkan.
- Britain’s UK Maritime Trade Operations reported the incident as likely state activity that forced the ship to alter course into Iranian territorial waters.
- A U.S. Navy MQ‑4C Triton drone observed the event for hours, while private security firms reported three small boats approached the vessel and flagged a sudden course change.
- Iranian state media described the cargo as 30,000 tons of petrochemical products, while the manager earlier said the ship carried high‑sulphur gasoil, marking the first major interdiction in the area in months.