Seizure of the St Nikolas

Capture of a US controlled and Greek operated ship by Iran in 2024

On January 11, 2024, four to five members of the Iranian Navy boarded and took control of the Marshall Islands-flagged, United States-controlled & Greek-operated civilian oil tanker MV St Nikolas.[1][2][3][4] The course of the oil tanker was altered towards the coast of Iran after the capture.[2] The oil tanker at the time was reported to have been carrying 145,000 tonnes of crude oil from Iraq to Turkey.[2][5] The St Nikolas had a crew of 18 Filipinos and one Greek national.[6]

Seizure of the St Nikolas
Part of Red Sea crisis and regional escalation of Israel–Hamas war
DateJanuary 11, 2024
Location
Belligerents
 Iran  Marshall Islands
 United States
 Greece
Units involved
Iranian Navy[1] (Marshall Islands-United States-Greece)
MV St Nikolas
Strength
4-5 armed personnel Crew of the MV St Nikolas
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Background

change

The St. Nikolas ship, previously named the Suez Rajan was a Greek managed ship, seized by the United States in April 2023. USA claimed that the ship had violated its sanctions by loading and trying to transport Iranian oil to China. The Iranian oil was then taken and sold by USA after it was unloaded in August 2023.[7]

change

References

change
  1. 1.0 1.1 Gambrell, Jon (11 January 2024). "Iran's navy seizes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman that was at the center of a major US-Iran crisis" (News article). AP News. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Associated Press. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Choukeir, Jana; Elimam, Ahmed (11 January 2024). "Iran seizes oil tanker involved in US-Iran dispute in Gulf of Oman - state media" (News article). Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  3. "Iran confirms its navy seized 'US oil tanker' in Gulf of Oman as tensions with US heat up". The New Arab. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  4. Salem, Mostafa; Pourahmadi, Adam. "Iran seizes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman". KAKE (TV). American Broadcasting Company and CNN. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  5. "BREAKING: Iran confirms it is behind the hijacking of the oil tanker MV St Nikolas near Oman today" (Post on 𝕏). 𝕏 (Formerly Twitter). Visegrád 24. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024. The US-controlled & Greek-operated tanker was carrying 145,000 tonnes of oil from Iraq to Turkey.
  6. "Iran says its navy seized tanker in Gulf of Oman". Deutsche Welle. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  7. "US Confirms April Seizure of Iran Oil Shipment". Voice of America. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.