US Outraged by Tanker Seizure, Ignores US Seizures of Iranian Oil
Iran has confirmed the seizure of a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker with petrochemical cargo in the Gulf, which mainstream outlets like The New Arab quickly labeled as an act of aggression. What these reports seldom mention is the extensive history of maritime seizures in the region by Western powers. For instance, the US has seized at least 15 Iranian oil shipments since 2019, including the Suez
Rajan in April 2023, diverting cargo worth hundreds of millions of dollars. These actions, often framed as 'sanctions enforcement,' are consistently met with media silence, while any Iranian retaliatory move becomes a global crisis. This selective outrage serves a clear narrative: Iran is the rogue actor, not the nation whose oil has been systematically intercepted and sold off by the very
countries now demanding adherence to international law. One might wonder, how many times can a country have its resources appropriated before being allowed to respond in kind? It appears global maritime law is a flexible concept, depending entirely on whose flag is flying and whose interests are being served. Perhaps if Iran started calling its seizures 'sanctions enforcement,' the headlines would
read differently.