Iran released a video Wednesday of their soldiers seizing a Vietnam-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman and their troops training machine guns on two US destroyers that were deployed to the scene but did not intervene.
As tension between the two countries increases, the dramatic takeover took place last week. Reports of Iranian drones approaching a US warship in Strait of Hormuz were also reported.
Wednesday’s statement by the Iranian government claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, (IRGC), was preventing the US from capturing an Iranian oil tanker.
US officials denied Iran’s account, and said America did not try to take over the vessel, Reuters reported.
Sources claimed that the Iranian forces took control over the Vietnamese-flagged tanker MV Southys at gunpoint on October 24, and are still holding the vessel off Bandar Abbas.
U.S. forces had watched the seizure, but failed to take action when the vessel entered Iranian waters.
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran said in a statement that Americans ‘seized an Iranian oil tanker in the Sea of Oman, transferred its oil to another tanker, and taken the tanker to an unknown place.
As they took control of an oil tanker in Oman, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers trained their guns on a large US warship.
Near the Gulf of Oman, Iranian drones approached a US warship in an allegedly ‘unsafe’ and ‘unprofessional’ manner in Straight of Hormuz
‘The IRGC forces in a heliborne operation took control of the tanker. Then the American forces pursued the tanker by helicopters and warships but failed to capture it.’
Video footage shows the gun-toting IRGC soldiers landing a helicopter onto the tanker and storming out in order to seize control.
Another video showed the IRGC canvasing the waters in catamarans as troops pointed their machine guns on the US’s massive warship, which dwarfed Iran’s vessels.
According to Reuters Wednesday, Iranian drones approached the U.S. Navy amphibious attack ship Essex in Strait of Hormuz.
The drones had ‘unsafe and unprofessional interactions with the USS Essex warship,’ in the past 24 hours, Reuters reporter Idrees AliTwitter: Wednesday morning tweet
On Sunday, President Joe Biden declared that Iran would be penalized economically if they did not resume negotiations regarding the nuclear deal.
As they prepare to take control of the tanker, Iranian troops can be seen loading into a helicopter.
After landing on the vessel, they inspect the grounds with guns drawn.
A huge US warship dwarfs Iran’s catamaran votes but does not intervene
The Iranian government said in a statement Wednesday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was foiling a US attempt to seize an Iranian oil tanker
After Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated Sunday morning that the US. If Iran rejects nuclear talks, the US isn’t ruling it out for military action.
Biden stated that he was going to respond to any actions taken by them against US interests, whether they be drone strikes, or any other. He did not go into specifics.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal or JCPOA, was agreed to in 2015. The Trump administration withdrew the U.S. in 2018.
Sunday’s statement by President Joe Biden was that Iran would pay economic damages if they don’t resume negotiations on the nuclear agreement
Many Iranian drones were reported to have approached the U.S. Navy amphibious assault vessel Essex in the Strait of Hormuz.
The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated Wednesday that attempts to revive 2015 Iran nuclear agreement will fail unless Biden can assure that the U.S. won’t abandon an agreement.
The president stated that the U.S. would only cancel a deal if Iran didn’t fulfill its commitments.
Ali Shamkhani (one of the country’s most prominent security figures) suggested that this was not good enough. He said that talks would not succeed unless Biden could guarantee that he would not abandon any deal.
“The U.S. President lacks authority and is not ready to provide guarantees. He tweeted that the outcome of negotiations was clear if the status quo remains,
In April, Iran and six world powers met in Vienna to reopen the agreement that President Donald Trump had abandoned three years earlier.
Iran released footage of IRGC Naval assets intercepting U.S Navy vessels at the Gulf of Oman, which were trying to seize Iranian oil exports. pic.twitter.com/YucIcpeKrp
— Global: MilitaryInfo (@Global_Mil_Info) November 3, 2021
They were suspended following the election of Ebrahim Raisi (an anti-Western hardliner) to the presidency.
Negotiations are expected to resume this month.
Biden and three European leaders indicated that they were open to a return to 2015 agreement if Iran reduced its nuclear program and opened itself to Inspections.
The U.S. amphibious assault ship Essex off Sasebo can be seen leaving Japan in 2001
According to the Iranian government, the oil tanker is currently in Iranian waters.
However, their joint statement made clear that sanctions would not be lifted until Tehran began to reduce work that is believed to be directed at developing nuclear arms.
Biden, Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, stated in a joint statement that “This will only be possible if Iran switches course.”
“We appeal to Raisi to seize the opportunity and make a good faith effort in order to conclude our negotiations as an urgent matter.
“That is the only way you can avoid a dangerous escalated situation, which is not in any country’s best interest.
These events occurred near the anniversary of the Iranian revolution supporters’ takeover of the US Embassy in Iran on November 4, 1979. This took place 444 days after the original incident.