US military 'monitoring' Iran ship seizure

[Bosonic]

Last edited Tue Apr 28, 2015, 12:12 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: BBC

Pentagon officials say the US is monitoring the seizure by Iran of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship.

The MV Maersk Tigris was moving through Iranian waters in the Straits of Hormuz, according to the Pentagon.

Iranian patrol vessels fired warning shots across the bow of the boat before it was ordered deeper into Iranian waters, the Pentagon said.

A US naval destroyer has been ordered to the region to "monitor" the situation.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32503660

[Fearless]

1. Is this confirmed by any media outlet whose nation of call

Doesn't benefit from us invading Iran?

[Bosonic]

2. Not yet

Hence the 'air quotes' I guess.

[Scootaloo]

3. Even Fars is sourcing al-arabiya

According to the ever-reliable RT, the ship was trespassing in Iranian waters. Which if true, wouldn't make this a terribly unusual response. The cargo will be examined, the sailors grilled, some meaningless rattling of sabres between congress and the majils, and the whole thing will settle out with the sailors getting told to watch themselves, and that'll be that.

[Fred Sanders]

7. The Marshall Islands does not even own a sabre, so what kind off sabre rattling can there be?

Saudi and their controlled media is desperate, as both their domestic and international political situation collapses in the wake of growing awareness of the evil that the House of Saud perpetuates.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Maersk is a Danish mega-corporation.

The Marshall Islands registry is no doubt a flag of convenience, just like the very common Liberian registries. Ship owners register their vessels with the country offering the best deal for them on regulations, fees, etc. & the registry has nothing to do with the nationality of the owners.

[Fred Sanders]

13. Which is fairly well know...so why the hyper-active international headlines? There is no "news"

anymore when it comes to Iran, the House of Saud and the Temple of Bibi are falling in the hard times of peace being ushered in by World President Obama, about to pick up his second Nobel Peace Prize.

[Jackpine Radical]

15. Yes, the MIC/Oiligarchy are out in force.

Those Iranian oil fields need to be under our control. Money is going to waste that could be put to good use by our corporations, who have a very expensive network of corruption to maintain.

[Bosonic]

4. A bit more info

U.S. Official tells @ABC the cargo ship seized by Iranian vessel belongs to Maersk line. Not sure if there are American mariners aboard.

https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/593065346703167489

U.S. Official tells @ABC Cargo ship stopped & boarded by Iranian maritime vessel. Unclear if being taken to Iranian port as reports suggest

https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/593065676698423296

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

5. Ol' McShame must be salivating!

[kelliekat44]

6. I do believe the Iranians are much more intelligent than we want to believe. They would not

commandeer a US ship in International waters. Of course, we had to be doing something we should not have been doing.

[B2G]

10. Of course

[Bosonic]

8. MV Maersk Tigris

BREAKING: Iranian forces have boarded the Marshall Island-flagged MV Maersk Tigris in the gulf, Pentagon says

https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/593067277370658816

http://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9694581

[AngryAmish]

9. Pretty sure that is an act of war.

However there are very few US flagged ships. Liberia and Panama, iirc/. Last time there were a lot of US flagged ships was during the Tanker War.

[Sunlei]

11. The USA provides defense to Marshall islands. Though I doubt American citizens are the sailors.

Politically, the Marshall Islands is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, with the US providing defense, subsidies, and access to social services. With few natural resources, the islands' wealth is based on a service economy, as well as some fishing and agriculture; aid from the United States represents a large percentage of the islands' gross domestic product. The country uses the United States dollar as its currency.

[Historic NY]

14. The satellite tracking makes it look like it was trying to navigate

the Straits of Hormuz....looks like it overshot it navigation point. There 3 Iranian tankers in the immediate area also.

[Purveyor]

16. US Navy Dispatches Destroyer After Iran 'Fires Warnings Shots And Boards Cargo Ship'

BY KASHMIRA GANDER – 28 April 2015

The US and Iran are eyeballing each other again after Iranian forces boarded a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf and the American Navy dispatched a destroyer to monitor the situation.

“The master was contacted and directed to proceed further into Iranian territorial waters. He declined and one of the Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) craft fired shots across the bridge of the Maersk Tigris,” said spokesman Col Steve Warren.

“The master complied with the Iranian demand and proceeded into Iranian waters in the vicinity of Larak Island.”

Mr Warren said that the US Navy responded to a distress call and dispatched a Navy Destroyer, USS Farragut to travel to the cargo ship as quickly as possible “to observe the interaction”.

He added: "[Navy Central Command] is communicating with representatives of the shipping company and we continue to monitor the situation. According to information received from the vessel's operators, there are no Americans aboard.”


- See more at: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/us-navy-dispatches-destroyer-after-iran-fires-warnings-shots-and-boards-cargo-ship-31179110.html#sthash.L9j51wf7.dpuf

[wingzeroday]

17. Tit for tat

Iranians are flexing some muscles after we raised concerns about the Iranian convoy of cargo ships heading towards Yemen.