Iranian authorities have reported this Sunday that a tanker caught fire after colliding with a naval mine while trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz without authorization from Tehran.
The vessel was sailing in the eastern part of the strait and was transiting through “a forbidden and unsafe area,” ignoring the “regular warnings” from Iranian authorities and with its navigation systems disconnected, according to information released by the official agency IRNA.
“A fire has been declared and it has been immobilized after hitting a naval mine,” the Iranian Navy said. “This is the fate of all ships that ignore the warnings and travel through prohibited areas,” it added.
Tehran has restricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. and Israeli air strikes on its territory, a decision that has pushed up oil prices globally, since it is a strategic corridor for the export of crude oil from the Middle East.