The United States called on the Iranian authorities to immediately release the oil tanker "Saint Nicholas" and its crew. According to what was announced by the Deputy Director of the US State Department’s Information Office, Vedant Patel.

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Patel said in a briefing: “The Iranian government must release the ship and its crew.” Patel described the seizure of the ship as illegal, noting that such Iranian actions “aim to undermine international trade.”

At the same time, Patel did not provide a clear response about the measures that the United States and its allies could take regarding this issue. Patel said: “We are continuing close consultations with our partners in the region on the appropriate steps that can be taken to hold the Iranian regime accountable.”

Earlier, the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported today that the Iranian Army Navy seized an American oil tanker near the Emirati port of Fujairah after the United States stole it last year and changed its name.

The agency reported on the “X” network that “the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the detention of an American oil tanker by judicial order in the waters of the Sea of ​​Oman.”