A vessel passes by an oil tanker anchored in the Strait of Hormuz near Qeshm Island, Iran. File photo unrelated to the article. AP Yonhap News

The Iranian military seized a Barbados-flagged oil tanker in nearby waters, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on the 8th (local time).

Tasnim said, “Naval special forces of the Iranian military seized the tanker Ocean Koi that sought to obstruct Iranian oil exports and interests.”

According to the Iranian Navy, the Ocean Koi has been handed over to the judiciary. In a statement, the navy said, “We will firmly safeguard the interests and assets of Iran in its territorial waters,” adding, “No violators or aggressors will be tolerated.”

According to vessel-tracking sites such as MarineTraffic and VesselFinder, the Ocean Koi, registered under the Barbados flag, changed its name to Jin Li earlier this year and had been sailing in the Gulf of Oman until recently.