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DRAMATIC FOOTAGE

Deep Sea Defiance: U.S. Forces Seize Second Sanctioned Iranian Tanker as Ceasefire Teeters | WATCH

In a high-stakes maritime interdiction, U.S. forces intercepted the stateless vessel linked to illicit STS transfers as a critical ceasefire deadline looms

U.S. Naval Forces Board Sanctioned Iranian Shadow Fleet Tanker M/T TIFANI in Indian Ocean

U.S. naval forces conducted an overnight maritime interdiction and boarding of the oil tanker M/T TIFANI in the Indian Ocean, the latest operation targeting Iran’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet.”

The vessel was reported as stateless at the time of the boarding, providing legal grounds for the action under international maritime law. It had departed the Singapore area and was last tracked sailing through the Indian Ocean.

U.S. Naval Forces Board Sanctioned Iranian Shadow Fleet Tanker M/T TIFANI in Indian Ocean
U.S. Naval Forces Board Sanctioned Iranian Shadow Fleet Tanker M/T TIFANI in Indian Ocean (Video: CENTCOM)

Vessel Background:

  • The M/T TIFANI is sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for providing material support to Iran, specifically for transporting Iranian crude oil.
  • It has been linked to ship-to-ship (STS) transfers with sanctioned Iranian-flagged tankers near Singapore since late 2024, often using deceptive practices such as AIS shutdowns (“dark activities”).
  • Sanctions were imposed on the tanker on July 30, 2025.The ship has frequently operated under fraudulent flags, including Botswana, a landlocked country with no official merchant ship registry that has repeatedly complained to the IMO about vessels illegally using its flag.

The boarding occurred without reported incident and is part of broader U.S. efforts to disrupt Iranian oil exports amid the ongoing standoff in the Strait of Hormuz and the fragile ceasefire (set to expire tomorrow evening Washington time).
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