A Liberia-flagged container vessel headed for Gujarat's Mundra Port was among two ships seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, amid escalating tensions in one of the world's busiest energy shipping lanes.
The vessel, Epaminondas, was bound for Mundra in Gujarat and was detained along with the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, according to Iranian state media and ship-tracking data, according to multiple media reports.
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“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships,” the IRGC said in a statement.
“The two offending ships... were seized by the IRGC's naval forces and directed to the Iranian coast.”
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According to Al Jazeera report, Iran claimed the ships were operating without authorisation, had repeatedly violated maritime regulations, manipulated navigational systems and attempted to leave the strait covertly, endangering maritime security.
Tehran also alleged that MSC Francesca had links to Israel, though that claim could not be independently verified.
Ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic showed both vessels near the Iranian coast on Wednesday. Epaminondas, a Liberia-flagged ship owned by a Greek company, had been travelling from Jebel Ali in Dubai and was headed to Mundra Port in Gujarat's Kachch district.
The seizures came hours after US President Donald Trump said he was extending a ceasefire with Iran to allow more time for peace talks.
Separately, British maritime security monitor UKMTO said at least three commercial vessels reported incidents involving armed boats in the strait. One ship reportedly came under fire around 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman, sustaining bridge damage but causing no casualties.
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Another vessel was stopped after being fired upon near the Iranian coast. British security firm Vanguard Tech identified the third vessel as the Panama-flagged containership Euphoria.
According to Al Jazeera, the IRGC said the vessels had been directed to the Iranian coast after violating rules governing passage through Hormuz.
Professor Foad Izadi told Al Jazeera the seizures reflected Tehran's anger over the US naval blockade.
“Under international law, blockading another country is an act of war,” he said.
“The Iranian government believed there was a ceasefire, and engaging in acts of war during a ceasefire is a violation of it.”
He added: “They want the blockade lifted, and what you are seeing today is their response.”
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