Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seizes tanker in Strait of Hormuz

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran seized a Panama-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the second-such capture by Tehran in recent days. That’s according to the U.S. Navy. The Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Niovi. It said Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized the ship. The Navy published pictures of small Guard vessels surrounding the tanker. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the Guard, reported the paramilitary force had seized a tanker it described as a “violator,” without elaborating. Last week, Iran seized an oil tanker carrying crude for Chevron amid wider tensions between Tehran and the U.S. over its nuclear program.