By Ginika Igboke
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said a U.S. Navy helicopter intercepted a sanctioned petrochemical tanker in the Arabian Sea on April 25 and directed it to return to Iran.
According to CENTCOM, the helicopter was deployed from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney to intercept the vessel M/V Sevan. The Panama-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tanker complied with instructions and began heading back toward Iran under U.S. escort.
The tanker had been among 19 vessels sanctioned a day earlier by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for transporting Iranian petrochemical exports.
Blockade and Sanctions Intensify
U.S. forces have been enforcing a maritime blockade against Iranian-linked vessels since April 13, during a ceasefire period with Iran. The blockade follows military operations launched by the United States and Israel earlier this year.
President Donald Trump has called on Tehran to present terms for a peace agreement, while the Treasury Department has introduced additional sanctions under an initiative known as “Operation Economic Fury,” aimed at cutting off Iran’s revenue sources.
CENTCOM said U.S. forces have redirected 37 vessels back to Iranian ports since the blockade began.
“U.S. forces continue to enforce sanctions and fully implement the blockade against ships entering or departing Iranian ports,” the command stated.
In addition to the Sevan, U.S. forces have boarded and seized several Iran-linked vessels in recent days, including M/V Touska, M/T Tifani, and M/T Majestic X.
Rising Tensions at Sea
Iranian authorities, in turn, reported seizing two container ships this week: the Liberia-flagged MSC Francesca and the Panama-flagged Epaminondas.
In a statement, Iran’s armed forces warned they would respond if what they described as “U.S. military blockade, piracy, and maritime banditry” continues in the region.
Diplomatic Efforts Stall
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have faced setbacks. The White House had announced that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan for another round of talks with Iranian officials.
However, those plans were canceled after Iranian representatives presented terms that Trump described as insufficient.
“They gave us a paper that should have been better,” Trump said before departing Florida aboard Air Force One. “When I canceled it, within minutes we received a new proposal that was much better.”
Original article
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