US forces detain Iran-linked tanker Tifani with ceasefire talks on edge

US forces have detained an oil tanker, M/T Tifani, in the Indian Ocean that is sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil. The detention was carried out overnight as a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran was about to expire. The US Department of Defense announced the raid, stating that it was conducted without incident in the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility. The Tifani, flagged from Botswana, was reportedly carrying Iranian oil when its last signal was detected halfway between Sri Lanka and the Strait of Malacca. The vessel's exact location at the time of the detention is not clear. The US will decide in the coming days what to do with the vessel, such as towing it back to the US or turning it over to another country.

US forces have boarded a sanctioned oil tanker, M/T Tifani, in the Indian Ocean, according to the Pentagon. The vessel was previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. The operation took place on Tuesday, hours ahead of an already tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran. The ship was carrying oil between Sri Lanka and Indonesia when it was intercepted. Despite being a Botswana-flagged vessel, the Tifani is considered "stateless." The Pentagon stated that international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels, echoing previous statements from Trump administration officials.