Iran Seizes Tanker: Because Only Some 'Rules-Based Order' Matters
The New Arab dutifully reports Iran's latest seizure of an 'oil tanker' in the Gulf, allegedly for 'smuggled fuel.' This headline, like so many before it, conveniently frames Iran as the sole rogue actor disrupting global shipping lanes. What it fails to mention is the broader context: the continuous, unilateral economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. that are designed to cripple Iran’s oil
exports—sanctions that themselves are a form of economic warfare. One might wonder if the U.S. Navy seizing Iranian oil tankers, as it did in April 2023 off the coast of South Africa, constitutes 'smuggling' or just 'enforcing sanctions.' The double standard is palpable. When U.S. allies—or the U.S. itself—unilaterally disrupt maritime trade, it's 'security.' When Iran responds in kind, it's
'piracy' worthy of breathless condemnation. The 'rules-based international order' (a phrase frequently invoked to justify Western interventions) appears to be less about 'rules' and more about 'who gets to make them up.'