Iran releases Vietnamese tanker seized in Sea of Oman

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran has confirmed the release of Vietnamese oil tanker Sothys, a week after it was seized during a close encounter between Iranian and US naval forces in the Sea of Oman.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said the tanker was freed "on judicial orders" after the oil, which Iranian authorities alleged was "stolen" by US forces, was unloaded.

According to official sources, the tanker that docked at the Bandar Abbas port since last week left the Iranian waters and entered the Gulf of Oman early on Wednesday.

Refinitiv ship tracking data also showed the tanker anchored in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday morning, though it was not clear where the ship was heading.

The Vietnamese-flagged vessel was seized by the IRGC last week following an incident that created global headlines.

Iran claimed that it thwarted the US Navy's attempt to "steal" its oil by confiscating an Iranian oil tanker and diverting the oil cargo to another tanker with a Vietnamese flag.

The IRGC said in a statement that its forces launched an airborne operation, landing on the deck of the Vietnamese tanker and moving it to Iran's territorial waters.

It further claimed that the US forces tried to chase the tanker with warships and helicopters but failed.

The US Department of State, however, dismissed the claims, saying Iranian forces "seized" the Vietnamese-flagged vessel while the US Navy was "just monitoring the situation".

The IRGC, in a statement on Wednesday after releasing the tanker, termed the US claim a "big lie", adding that US military vessels were "within 30 meters" from Iranian forces.

The incident, which came on the eve of the anniversary of the 1979 US embassy takeover in Tehran, again escalated tensions between the two long-time adversaries at a time when both sides are preparing to resume the stalled nuclear deal talks later this month.

The indirect talks between Washington and Tehran in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal will resume on November 29, after the stalemate of five months.