U.S. Seizes Four Iranian Oil Tankers

Aug. 14, 2020 (EIRNS)—Department of Justice officials confirmed today that the U.S. has seized four tankers owned by Iran that were on their way to Venezuela to deliver about 1 million barrels of fuel. “With the assistance of foreign partners, this seized property is now in U.S. custody,” the Justice Department said, calling it the largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran, reported AFP. The Justice Department did not provide any details as to the circumstances of the seizures, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Aug. 13.

Earlier on Aug. 13, U.S. Central Command accused Iranian forces of boarding a Liberian-registered tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which the DOJ said was an apparent attempt to recover the seized petroleum.