Iranian forces seized an oil tanker sailing in the Gulf of Oman, diverting the vessel toward the country’s territorial waters on Friday after it passed the Strait of Hormuz, a US defence official said.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara was sailing about 20 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy allegedly intercepted the vessel, according to Vanguard Tech in an alert. The vessel, which was headed for Singapore, was forced to head toward the Iranian coast instead, the alert said.

Iran hasn’t officially commented on the incident, and calls made to Iran’s Port and Maritime Organisation were not immediately answered.

The ship’s manager, Columbia Shipmanagement, said it lost contact with the vessel and has notifi

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