By Euronews Persian
Published on
An oil tanker caught fire Thursday in the Gulf of Oman after entering what the Iranian navy described as a no-go zone with its tracking systems disabled, Iranian state media reported, the second such incident in the region in 24 hours.
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The Iranian Navy said surveillance teams patrolling the eastern sector of the Strait of Hormuz detected the tanker on fire in the restricted area, according to a statement cited by Mehr news agency.
The name, flag and condition of the ship’s crew were not immediately known, nor was the cause of the fire.
On Wednesday, Iranian media reported a fire on another tanker near the Strait of Hormuz after it also turned off its tracking equipment.
These incidents follow the sinking of two commercial vessels in the same waters in recent days. The container ship GFS Pride sank on Wednesday after catching fire. All 21 crew members were rescued.
The IRGC said the ship hit a sea mine, while maritime sources cited an unidentified projectile.
The cargo ship Cape Dao, which had already been hit by a projectile, also sank. One crew member was killed in the initial attack.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show goods, including cellphones and luxury items, floating in the water near the Strait of Hormuz, with people in small boats picking up items.
Several international media outlets published these images, as well as separate images of containers and debris in waters believed to be close to the strait. Euronews was unable to independently verify its veracity.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military operations in the region, had not commented on Thursday’s incident at the time of publication.
Is Tehran’s expanded ban in place?
Iran’s IRGC declared the waters leading to the Strait of Hormuz a no-go zone in September, following remarks by Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohbi said the area covered part of the Gulf of Oman and part of the Arabian Sea along the approach to the strait.
Ali Azmayi, commander of the IRGC naval force, said Tehran exercises “intelligent control” over the strait and that all ships seeking to use the route must obtain permission, in response to U.S. statements that the waterway remains open and under Washington’s control.
Tehran has said ships that break rules in the area face sanctions. Iran declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in late February, at the start of the war with the United States, which Washington followed with its own naval blockade of the key waterway.
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