Iranian media reports say a crude oil supertanker has reportedly crashed a naval mine and caught fire as it tried to exit the Strait of Hormuz in an “unauthorised route”.
In a statement released by Iranian media quoted by the IRGC, it was reported that the ship had turned off its navigation and global positioning system before making its way into the mines, thereby giving itself the justification it needed to assure its inaction was innocent. A resulting fire was reportedly seen from homes along the coastal area, a distance from the incident.
The IRGC urged ships to follow security guidelines otherwise they may be at risk of receiving similar treatment when using unofficial routes. It also claimed it would not restrict itself to the Strait of Hormuz in enforcing the ban, and would seek and act on violations of the ban anywhere.
The details of the condition of the crew of the tanker and the explosion’s cause are yet to be clarified, however. There is no independent verification of the account of the mines strike.
The incident comes after rising tensions over the strategically important waterway that is critical to global oil supplies. During the current conflict, reportedly the movement of commercial ships has declined significantly, leading to concerns of sea safety and potential disruption of energy supply.
Tehran has insisted it is in control of security in the strait, and has tied the issue with the re-opening of the water channel with its demands in the dispute with Washington.
Iran, which has not discussed new nuclear talks with the Western nations over Teheran’s nuclear ambitions since then, stated Iran would not withdraw from talks on Thursday, referring to past U.S. attacks during the Talks to Limit and Reverse Nuclear Threats between the two nations. Even after these experiences the president was ready to negotiate, according to a statement in his office.
The developments underscore Iran’s military precautions on shipment-related matters and its commitment to diplomatically engage the U.S.