In a new field operation reflecting Washington’s determination to dry up Tehran’s funding sources and tighten the naval blockade on it, the American newspaper “The Wall Street Journal”, quoting three informed US officials, reported that the United States has officially seized a major oil tanker linked to Iran while it was sailing in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
Officials explained that the confiscated oil tanker is named “Skyview”, which is one of the vital tankers that the US Department of the Treasury placed under strict sanctions last March, after its direct involvement was proven in managing and executing crude Iranian oil transport and export operations for smuggling networks affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.
Movement Tracking and Confiscation via Navigation Systems
Satellite ship tracking data and international navigation systems indicate that the tanker “Skyview” was moving in a sea lane west of Malaysia on Tuesday, immediately after its direct crossing of the strategic Strait of Malacca, before US forces exerted full control over it as part of a plan to pursue banned Iranian regime property.
This swift naval operation comes to shed light on the ongoing economic and field assault against clandestine shipping lines, as this confiscation marks at least the third time in the past few weeks that the United States has succeeded in seizing an oil tanker belonging to what is known as the “hidden fleet” or “shadow fleet” linked to Iran, a widespread network of vessels that resort to changing their flags and turning off tracking devices to circumvent international sanctions.
A Decisive Message and Tightening of the Financial and Economic Blockade
This step comes in implementation of the maximum pressure policy and the “economic wrath” campaign pursued by the US administration to undermine Tehran’s oil and petrochemical revenues.
Observers emphasized that the confiscation of “Skyview” in the Indian Ocean sends a decisive message to all international maritime companies, institutions, and allies of Tehran, meaning that any ship facilitating illegal trade of Iranian oil through secret channels exposes itself and its owners to the risk of direct prosecution and confiscation by US authorities, thereby hindering Tehran’s ability to generate funds and return them to its territory.
