BREAKING: Iran Forces Seize US Cargo Ship With 34 People On Board

a reply to: IAMTAT

Saudi source eh? Yeah I trust them...

I'll be checking Iranian sources because surely they will be reporting this if it were true.

Iran's Far News is reporting it but is also using the Saudi source, lol.

english.farsnews.com...

Al-Arabia reported that the Iranian Navy has confiscated the American trade vessel with all its 34 crew for trespassing on Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

An Iranian warship is now taking the American vessel to Iran's Southern port city of Bandar Abbas in the Persian Gulf.

There has been no official confirmation of the seizure yet.

a reply to: IAMTAT

There is only 2 types of ships in the region - Military and Merchant Tankers / general cargo.

IF true, this could only be a merchant vessel as no-one is stupid enough to fire on a US Navy vessel (it would not be "escorted" anywhere let me give you the tip)

The US Navy is in the region, as are US owned / flagged merchant vessels.

I GUARANTEE the vessel in question has breached sovereign waters and is now paying the price under IMO (International Maritime Organization) protocols.

Prepare for BS propaganda to say otherwise, but I HAVE vessels in the region too and the US are ship-stirrers around the Strait of Hormuz - have been "testing the waters" for a while now.

Pun intended.

originally posted by: Soloprotocol

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: intrptr

Al Arabiya adds that Iran fired on the US cargo ship before escorting it, a move which will surely lead to a rapid and violent escalation in the gulf:

The Saudis and Americans are responsible for the "rapid and violent escalation in the Gulf", not Iran.

It is unclear why Iran would do this…

Depends on the "cargo". If US sailors are on board its likely war materiel.

I would think if US soldiers were on board, the Iranians firing at them would have given them cause to fire back.

And start WWIII because someone put one across the bow. Cool heads required in the middle east right now.

Versus being taken captive....yes. I believe firing one across the bow would have been the start, not retaliation for commandeering a vessel.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
What would make this REALLY interesting is if the cargo was nuclear.....

You can bet your arse there's security on board that ship if that's the case. Although I doubt anybody but US military would be allowed to move that sort of cargo.

I actually don't know if that's true at all, but I think it is.

~Tenth

I would think so as well, unless it was being smuggled in.....

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I would think if US soldiers were on board, the Iranians firing at them would have given them cause to fire back.

Big difference between fired at and fired upon.

Sounds like they interdicted it.

According to the US

Update 3: Turns out Iran did seize a ship, just not a US ship.

im going to have to look around more. maybe a ship "flying a US flag" but not really ours?

Maybe the Iranians thought the ship was carrying arms for the US puppet government in Yemen?
I doubt this will turn into a war with Obama making the decisions.

a reply to: Dizrael

Be very careful - all of my vessels are Vanuatu "Flagged"..........but we are on the other side of the planet.

Tax breaks in all

ETA - Every ship in the world has an IMO # weld-stamped on the ass end - get me that number and I will tell you exactly who owns the vessel - the only flag required to be shown is the flag of "registry" - very rarely is that the flag of the owner country.

originally posted by: Dizrael
According to the US

Update 3: Turns out Iran did seize a ship, just not a US ship.

im going to have to look around more. maybe a ship "flying a US flag" but not really ours?

Hmmm.....now feeling more like a smuggling operation if that is true.

In case anyone gets a name for the vessel…

Ship Tracker

originally posted by: Glassbender777
Did the cargo vessel wonder into Iranian waters. If not, then this is an aggressive act, that would warrant further action by our own American Navy, This is some crazy stuff. I sure hope this gets resolved quickly for everyone's sake.

What I want to know too.

Were was it seized?

What was on it?

originally posted by: Dizrael
According to the US

Update 3: Turns out Iran did seize a ship, just not a US ship.

im going to have to look around more. maybe a ship "flying a US flag" but not really ours?

Wow,an actual "false flag."

The term was coined from that exact scenario,when ships would raise the flag of their enemies,in order to sneak past,or launch surprise attacks.

So, there are problems at home, so we give the folks problems overseas to make them forget about everything and "unite" everyone against the common enemy.

originally posted by: intrptr
In case anyone gets a name for the vessel…

IRANIANS BOARDED MV MAERSK TIGRIS CARGO SHIP: PENTAGON

Per Zerohedge.

If it isn't the Saudis talking #, then America brought this on their selves. There's no way Iran has a suicide wish doing something that provocative.

a reply to: intrptr

"The vessel has been directed to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas
on the southern coast, Al-Arabiya has reported."

Bandar Abbas ...is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, and it is the location of the main base of the Iranian Navy.

If this is the main base of the Iranian Navy
it would rule out a false flag, would it not?

a reply to: IAMTAT

Uh-Oh....

Looks like Newsweek posted the story and then deleted it.. wonder why..

Iranian forces have reportedly fired at and seized a US cargo ship with 34 sailors on board, according to Saudi Arabian state TV.

The vessel has been directed to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on the southern coast, Al-Arabiya has reported.

It remains unclear why or if the ship was captured, and whether the shots injured anyone on-board, as neither US nor Iranian officials have confirmed the allegations. The US Fifth Fleet off the coast of Bahrain had no immediate comment on the report, according to Reuters.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency suggested that the ship was trespassing in the Persian Gulf.

However, a US official told Reuters that there are no indications so far that any US ship is being directed by Iranian forces.

The official said the US was still working to get clarity on the situation.

www.independent.co.uk...

a reply to: intrptr

No good - Thats only effective if they have their INMARSAT-C switched on.

I GUARANTEE they do not.

a reply to: intrptr

Hate to break it to you my man, but the middle east has never been at peace. It has been at a constant state of war for some time.