Iran said on Friday it had diverted a US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian oil to its coast, although the reason for the move was not immediately clear, reports France Presse.
“The Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as part of a specially planned operation in the Sea of Oman, intercepted the oil tanker Ocean Koi (OCEAN KOI), which was carrying a cargo of oil belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the army said in a statement broadcast on state television.
It said the ship was diverted to Iran's southern coast after trying to “affect and disrupt Iran's oil exports,” without elaborating.
In February, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Barbados-flagged tanker, saying it had been part of Iran's “ghost fleet” since 2020, a network of vessels used to transport oil to evade sanctions.
The tanker “has carried millions of barrels of Iranian high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) and condensate since May 2025,” the US Treasury added.
Iranian state television broadcast a video presented as the “capture” of the tanker, which showed Iranian forces following the vessel at night in small boats, then climbing aboard using a ladder before diverting it to Iranian shores.
According to IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) News, the Iranian Navy had conducted a special operation to seize an “offending tanker” named “OCEAN KOI” for attempting to export Iranian oil.
Her new name is actually JIN LI (9255933), and has been so since 2025-11-30.… pic.twitter.com/3Wv8jJNEAr
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The military indicated that the tanker was handed over to “judicial authorities” after it arrived on the country's shores.
