In a dramatic escalation of tensions, Iranian authorities have officially confiscated an American oil cargo worth approximately $50 million from the tanker Advantage Sweet, a vessel seized last year in the Gulf of Oman. The tanker, carrying a cargo initially bound for Chevron, was intercepted by the Iranian navy, marking a further intensification in the ongoing geopolitical strife at sea which has seen multiple vessels detained in the strategic waterways of the Middle East.
The seizure of the Advantage Sweet, registered under the Marshall Islands flag and managed by a Turkish company for Advantage Tankers of Switzerland, occurred shortly after the US had appropriated an Iranian oil shipment aboard the Greek tanker Suez Rajan near Singapore. The latter action was taken on behalf of the families of the 9/11 terror attacks, culminating in the cargo’s offloading and sale in Texas for victim compensation funds.
The Iranian court’s justification for the confiscation shifted from an initial claim of the Advantage Sweet being involved in a hit-and-run collision with an Iranian vessel, resulting in casualties and injuries, to a court ruling based on the alleged effects of US-imposed sanctions. The sanctions, reinstated during the Trump administration in 2018, have reportedly hindered the import of specialized medical supplies into Iran, particularly affecting patients with the rare genetic condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).
Patients afflicted with EB in Iran have suffered due to an inability to obtain critical bandages and dressing from a Swedish manufacturer, a circumstance attributed to the stifling sanctions. A lawsuit filed by the patients resulted in an Iranian court issuing the warrant to seize the vessel’s cargo as a form of redress for the hardships imposed by the sanctions.
The broader context of these maritime disputes is characterized by a perilous tit-for-tat dynamic, with Iran currently holding 90 crew members and five tankers. The confrontations at sea are a direct consequence of the deterioration in relations following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, leading to an uptick in regional incidents, including the targeting of vessels by limpet mines and drone strikes, attributed by US authorities to Iran.
Beyond the confines of the Advantage Sweet incident, the region has witnessed a spate of maritime violence, including a recent attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in casualties. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have intensified their campaign against shipping in response to Israeli actions in Gaza, perpetuating the cycle of hostility that pervades the maritime domain.