Iran on Saturday confirmed seizing a Marshall Islands–flagged oil tanker as the ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alleging the vessel was carrying an “illegal consignment. ” A statement carried by the official IRNA news agency noted that “the tanker was taken to Iranian waters.” The IRGC added that the seizure followed a court order and the operation was aimed at “protecting Iran’s national interests and resources.” The statement did not clarify what the “illegal consignment” was, provide information about the crew, or indicate the vessel’s next destination. The tanker, identified as Talara, was reportedly carrying 30,000 tonnes of petrochemical products when it was intercepted on Friday. According to the IRGC, the vesse

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