WANA (May 22) – The Public Relations Office of Iran’s Navy has issued a statement denying reports that an oil tanker belonging to the United Arab Emirates and flying the Panamanian flag was hijacked in Iranian territorial waters.

The full text of the Navy’s denial is as follows:

Following a report by the maritime security firm Ambrey claiming that an oil tanker flying the Panamanian flag had been hijacked near the port of Jask—and attributing the incident to the Islamic Republic of Iran—the Public Relations Office of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy strongly rejects these claims and states:

 

No such incident matching the reported description has occurred in the waters under the sovereignty or supervision of the Islamic Republic of Iran. All maritime traffic in the area is proceeding according to legal protocols and under the supervision of Iran’s Navy.

 

Labeling this incident as a “hijacking” without presenting credible evidence and solely based on alleged communication messages is a clear example of media manipulation and distortion of reality. Attributing the vessel to Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” is an unfounded and baseless claim with no legal or technical grounds, merely echoing ongoing anti-Iran propaganda narratives.

 

The Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to international maritime laws and conventions, and considers the claims made in this report a deliberate attempt to provoke tensions in the region and mislead global public opinion.