United States seizes three Iran-linked tankers carrying $600M in crude

The US government has seized three tankers linked to Iranian sanctions in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, capturing nearly six million barrels of crude oil valued at roughly $600 million. The Pentagon confirmed the successful interdictions, which targeted vessels allegedly tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Venezuela’s state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. Three ships, three stories The seizures unfolded over a span of roughly two months, each involving a different vessel with its own trail of alleged deception. The Skipper was the first to fall, seized in late December 2025 while carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude. A forfeiture complaint filed by US authorities alleged the shipment was supporting the IRGC, Iran’s powerful military branch that the US designated as a foreign terrorist organization years ago. Next came the Marinera, formerly known as the Bella 1. US forces captured the vessel in early January 2026 after a multi-week pursuit across the North Atlantic. Authorities linked the ship to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, and said the crude originated from Iran. The third seizure, the Bertha, occurred on February 24, 2026 ...