Iran's attack on unarmed civilian vessel off Oman highlights true nature of regime

The US military on Wednesday (July 5) blocked two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman, an incident that underscores the regime's increasingly aggressive posture in the region.

Such actions run contrary to Tehran's claims that it seeks peace and security in the region, and are in fact blatant attempts by Iran to challenge the safety and security of all merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, US officials say.

On Wednesday at about 1am local time, an Iranian naval vessel approached the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss in international waters in the Gulf of Oman, US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said in a news release.

The Iranians sought to seize the TRF Moss, but "departed the scene when US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived on station", NAVCENT said.

The US Navy also deployed surveillance assets, including MQ-9 Reaper and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Approximately three hours later, the US Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager, which was positioned more than 32km off the coast of Muscat, transiting international waters toward the Arabian Sea.

"Another Iranian naval vessel had closed within one mile [1.6km] of Richmond Voyager while hailing the commercial tanker to stop," NAVCENT said.

The USS McFaul directed course toward Richmond Voyager at maximum speed as the merchant tanker continued its transit, it said.

Prior to the destroyer's arrival, "Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons".

The oil tanker sustained no casualties or significant damage, but several rounds hit the ship's hull near crew living spaces.

The Iranian vessel fled when the McFaul arrived.

Unreliable partner

Following NAVCENT's Wednesday news release, Iran denied the United States' report about the incident.

On Thursday, Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation (PMO) issued a statement saying "Iranian naval forces were pursing one of the tankers per a judicial order,' contradicting the earlier Iranian statements.

"The Richmond Voyager collided with an Iranian vessel but continued on its way, disregarding international laws," the statement said, providing no evidence of the claim.

Iranian officials, eager to gain allies following increasing international isolation, took steps earlier this year to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations with Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom wants enhanced maritime security in the Gulf region as part of its rapprochement with Iran, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said June 17.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, at a televised joint news conference in Tehran, said security was vital for regional countries.

Iran is also hoping to bring Saudi Arabia and other countries into a naval alliance in the Indian Ocean, Iranian pro-regime media reported last month.

Iran's state news agency Tasnim said that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Pakistan and India have all expressed an interest.

But Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, raise doubts about the regime's sincerity in guaranteeing security in the region.

History of harassment

Following an uptick in Iranian merchant vessel seizures, the US military in May increased the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy's 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, said in a statement that it was working with allies and partners to protect the crucial chokepoint into the Gulf.

"We've seen repeated Iranian threats, arm seizures and attacks against commercial shippers who are exercising their navigational rights and freedoms in international waters and strategic waterways of the region," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said May 12.

"The United States will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardise freedom of navigation through the Middle East waterways including the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

In the latest round of mischief-making, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) commander Alireza Tangsiri announced that "all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz must identify themselves in Farsi", Iranian media reported June 23.

Experts lampooned his remarks as an "outrageous demand".

"This would be a total violation of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) rules," an Iranian naval expert told Al-Mashareq on condition of anonymity. "Moreover, it would not be enforceable for that exact reason."

In 2019, the IRGCN seized the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz for allegedly ramming a fishing boat, and released it two months later.

In 2021, Iran released a South Korean oil tanker it had held for months amid a dispute over billions of dollars seized by Seoul.

And in May 2022, Iran seized two Greek tankers after a Russian-flagged tanker carrying Iranian crude was seized a month earlier near Athens. The two vessels were both released in November.

A fleet of high-speed IRGCN craft on May 3 this year surrounded and seized the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned Niovi as it travelled from Dubai to Fujairah in the UAE.

The vessel's seizure in the Strait of Hormuz came six days after a similar incident in Gulf waters, when helicopter-borne Iranian navy commandos abseiled onto the deck of a US-bound Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, Advantage Sweet.

On May 12, Iranian state media announced that Iran had seized a third tanker, the Panama-flagged Purity.

"Iran's actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability," the US Navy's 5th Fleet said.

On June 4, US and UK vessels, supported by a patrol aircraft, responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as IRGCN fast-attack boats harassed the ship, the International Crisis Group said.

Ten days later, media reports indicated that Iran had "tested a suicide drone against a practice vessel in the Gulf and fired one other missile or drone without warning ships in the area", the group said.

According to an unnamed US official, Iran was "essentially practicing hitting merchant vessels. That's the only reason why you would do that in the Gulf of Oman".

"Since 2021, Iran has harassed, attacked or seized nearly 20 internationally flagged merchant vessels, presenting a clear threat to regional maritime security and the global economy," CENTCOM said following the incident.