US-Iran conflict: ‘Piracy is back’: Iran accuses US of ‘armed robbery on the high seas’ after seizing oil tanker World News

Iranian official Ismail Baqaei accused the United States on Tuesday of effectively legalizing piracy after seizing two ships in the Indian Ocean purportedly carrying Iranian oil.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baqaei called the move a serious violation of international law and said it amounted to “the complete legalization of piracy and armed robbery on the high seas.”

In a post onEarlier, U.S. authorities announced the interception of two oil tankers suspected of transporting Iranian crude oil. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro posted onA second ship, the M/T Tifani, carrying a similar amount of crude oil was also seized earlier this week, she said.“Overnight, according to a seizure warrant filed by my office and signed by a federal judge, U.S. forces intercepted this dark fleet vessel… also carrying approximately 1.9 million barrels of Iranian oil,” Pirro said.The United States will “continue to relentlessly investigate, track and pursue these cases” to hold sanctioned actors accountable and curb illicit maritime trade, she added, describing the actions as part of efforts to disrupt networks involved in sanctioned oil transportation.The interception comes as the United States steps up enforcement of Iran’s maritime oil trade amid a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. According to Reuters, the U.S. military is increasingly conducting operations outside the Strait of Hormuz, targeting ships in open waters to reduce the risk of threats such as floating mines.The maritime standoff further disrupted global energy supply chains. Reduced traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for about a fifth of global oil and gas flows, is exacerbating supply concerns and contributing to a broader energy crunch.The seizure comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly over sanctions enforcement and maritime activities related to Iranian oil exports.