TEHRAN: The Iranian military on Monday accused the United States of carrying out what it described as a blatant act of aggression against one of its commercial vessels in the Sea of Oman.
The allegation comes amid already heightened tensions in the region. A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters strongly denounced the incident, labelling it a “criminal operation” conducted by the US Navy.
Iranian officials framed the episode as a serious violation of international norms. Lieutenant-Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that the United States had breached the ceasefire and engaged in what he termed maritime piracy.
According to him, US forces opened fire on an Iranian merchant ship in the Sea of Oman and deployed marines onto the vessel, ultimately disabling its navigation system. He further warned that Iran’s armed forces would respond to what he called “armed piracy,” asserting that retaliation against US actions would follow in the near future.
Iranian authorities said the targeted vessel, identified as the container ship Toska, had been travelling peacefully from China to Iran via the Gulf of Oman when it came under attack. They characterised the strike as unprovoked.
In response, Iranian forces reportedly carried out countermeasures, launching drone attacks against several American military vessels operating in the area.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces had taken control of the Iranian ship.
He praised the US military as the world’s most powerful force, though Iranian statements criticised Washington’s actions, portraying the United States as acting like a “pirate” in international waters.