US and UK Navies Respond to Distress Call as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Harasses Ship

The US Navy and the United Kingdom Royal Navy provided assistance to a ship in the strategic Strait of Hormuz after it was harassed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to officials.

On Sunday afternoon, three armed Guard vessels approached a merchant ship at close proximity, as confirmed by the US Navy. Black-and-white images, taken from a US Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft, were released, showing the three small ships near the commercial vessel.

In response to the incident, the US Navy’s USS McFaul guided-missile destroyer and the Royal Navy’s frigate HMS Lancaster intervened, with the Lancaster deploying a helicopter.

Approximately an hour later, the situation deescalated when the merchant vessel confirmed that the fast-attack craft had left the scene. The merchant ship continued its transit through the Strait of Hormuz without further complications.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, is a narrow passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

Although the Navy did not disclose the identity of the ship involved, ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com, analyzed by The Big Big News, indicated that the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture deviated from its course erratically during the incident. The location of the vessel also matched the information provided by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees regional traffic. Additionally, the vessel resembled the images released by the Navy.

Trust Bulkers, the registered manager of the ship based in Athens, Greece, has not yet responded to requests for comment.

There has been no immediate acknowledgement of the incident from Iranian state media or the Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian mission to the United Nations also did not respond to requests for comment.

This recent incident follows a series of maritime events involving Iran subsequent to the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

The suspected seizure of the Suez Rajan, a tanker connected to a US private equity firm and believed to have been carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil near Singapore, likely prompted Tehran to seize the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Advantage Sweet. This vessel was transporting Kuwaiti crude oil for Chevron Corp., an energy firm based in San Ramon, California.

Although the seizure of the Suez Rajan has not been officially acknowledged, ship-tracking data analyzed by the AP indicates that the vessel is currently located off the coast of Galveston, Texas.

In a separate incident, Iran seized the Panama-flagged tanker Niovi as it departed a dry dock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was en route to Fujairah on the UAE’s eastern coast. While the tanker was empty, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, reviewed by the AP, showed that in July 2020, the Niovi received oil from a ship known at that time as the Oman Pride.

In August 2021, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on the Oman Pride and others associated with the vessel for their involvement in an international oil smuggling network that supported the Quds Force, an expeditionary unit of the Revolutionary Guard operating across the Middle East. Alleged leaked emails published on the website Wikiran suggested that the cargo carried by the Niovi was sold to Chinese firms without authorization.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the AP revealed that both vessels are currently anchored off Bandar Abbas, Iran.

These recent seizures have added pressure on the US, which has long been the security guarantor for Gulf Arab nations. Last week, the United Arab Emirates claimed to have “withdrew its participation” from a joint naval command known as the Combined Maritime Forces, although the US Navy stated that it was still part of the group. Furthermore, the chief of the US military’s Central Command visited the region, meeting with Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss shared regional security concerns and security partnerships between the US and the UAE.

Last month, the commanders of the US, British, and French navies in the Middle East region transited the Strait of Hormuz aboard an American warship, demonstrating their unified approach in ensuring the crucial waterway remains open following Iran’s seizure of the two oil tankers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Strait of Hormuz incident

More about Strait of Hormuz incident

• Strait of Hormuz – Wikipedia
• US Navy Official Website
• UK Royal Navy Official Website
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard – GlobalSecurity.org
• Maritime Incidents in the Persian Gulf – Council on Foreign Relations
• The Importance of the Strait of Hormuz – EIA