November 16, 2025
Release Number 20251116-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Central Command forces monitored an incident involving Iranian forces illegally boarding and seizing a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker transiting international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, Nov. 14.
M/V Talara was seized after being boarded by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces who arrived by helicopter. IRGC operatives then steered the tanker to Iran’s territorial waters where the ship remains.
Iran's use of military forces to conduct an armed boarding and seizure of a commercial vessel in international waters constitutes a blatant violation of international law, undermining freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce. We call on Iran to articulate to the international community the legal basis for its actions.
U.S. forces will continue to remain vigilant and work alongside our partners and allies to promote regional peace and stability.