Vietnam says in talks with Iran over oil tanker

The tanker, blocked by Iran off the Sea of Oman, was carrying confiscated Iranian oil to an unknown destination.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has held talks with the Iranian embassy in Hanoi, and the Vietnamese embassy in Iran has held talks with the Iranian authorities to verify information and settle the incident to ensure safety and humane treatment for Vietnamese citizens,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said at a regular press briefing.

Hang added the captain of the Vietnamese tanker in a telephone call with the embassy on Oct 27 had confirmed all 26 crew had been treated well and were in good health.

On Wednesday, Tehran announced naval forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have thwarted an attempt by the United States Navy to confiscate a tanker carrying Iranian crude in the Sea of Oman.

The United States stopped the Iranian vessel and transferred its oil cargo to another tanker and was trying to take the vessel away when the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy intervened.

The IRGC forces used a helicopter to board the tanker and led it towards Iranian territorial waters.
The naval forces of the United States used several helicopters and a frigate to chase the Iranian tanker but the IRGC blocked their way.

The American naval forces tried once again to block the path of the Iranian ship with several more vessels but failed.

The tanker is currently in the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Tehran has also released footage showing IRGC navy force blocking US attempts to confiscate Iranian oil in the Sea of Oman.

American officials have claimed Iranian forces had actually seized a Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker, MV Southys, and US naval forces were just monitoring the situation.