The seizure of the Talara, a Marshall Islands–flagged tanker, by the IRGC Navy was a lawful and preventive response to suspicious behavior by the vessel. As the main littoral state of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, Iran has a legitimate right to act in defense of its maritime security. The presence of suspicious tankers in waters close to Iran can endanger the flow of international commerce and the region’s economic stability. For that reason, the IRGC’s move to impound the ship is considered consistent with international law and with Iran’s right to legitimate defense. By contrast, the United States, located thousands of kilometers away, without any sovereign rights or legal jurisdiction in the area, has launched a media campaign aimed at distorting the reality of Iran’s legitimate defensive action.

Confronting Hybrid Threats

Iran does not limit security threats to conventional military attacks; it views countering the enemy’s hybrid warfare, economic, media, and military measures, as essential. Seizing a suspicious tanker is part of the Iranian armed forces’ preventive and calibrated actions to confront maritime and economic threats. This defensive behavior is justifiable within the framework of international law and Iran’s legitimate right to self-defense, and it shows Tehran’s readiness to counter complex, hybrid threats. Crucially, these actions serve as warnings and deterrence signals to regional and extra-regional adversaries, without harming overall maritime safety.

Iran as the Guarantor of Regional Maritime Security

Iran consistently stresses that the region’s security is inseparable from its own and conducts all maritime operations to safeguard stability in the Persian Gulf and international sea routes. Strengthening indigenous naval capabilities, combating smuggling and piracy, and addressing environmental threats are among Iran’s practical measures in this field. The seizure of Talara is one example of this security approach, carried out in compliance with global regulations while ensuring regional stability and international trade. U.S. and Israeli claims about threats to maritime security are attempts to obscure Iran’s capabilities, apply media pressure on the West, and perpetuate their long-running Iranophobia project, even though Iran has for years ensured the free flow of shipping and commerce in the region.

United States: Principal Culprit Behind Regional Crises

America’s record in the region is defined by violations of international law and security threats—from shooting down an Iranian passenger aircraft to bombing nuclear facilities and conducting military interventions in Iraq and elsewhere. The United States not only lacks any moral or legal standing to comment on global security or freedom of navigation, but should also be held accountable for its actions. Iran is a pillar of regional stability and security and has paid substantial costs to ensure it. Expelling the United States from the Persian Gulf could be an important step toward regional cooperation and indigenous security, given that Washington’s presence has always been a source of instability and threat.