Iran Rebukes U.S. Seizure of Oil Tanker as "State Piracy"

(MENAFN) Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei delivered sharp criticism Friday against U.S. forces for capturing an oil tanker near Venezuelan waters, characterizing the action as "state piracy."

The official statement from the ministry arrived two days following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that American military forces had intercepted and commandeered an oil vessel operating off Venezuela's coastline.

"The U.S. seizure of trade vessels belonging to other countries is a flagrant disregard for international law and a blatant violation of the principles governing international maritime security and safety," Baghaei stated.

The spokesperson issued stern warnings regarding the potential consequences of such coercive tactics on global peace, security, and commercial shipping operations. Baghaei urged governments worldwide and international regulatory bodies to challenge these unlawful seizures and demand accountability from the United States.

U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean region have intensified over nearly four months, with substantial naval forces concentrated near Venezuela's territorial waters. Washington has publicly justified this military buildup as counter-narcotics operations, though Caracas has rejected this rationale, characterizing it as a transparent pretext for orchestrating government destabilization in Venezuela.

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