US-Seized Iranian Oil Tankers Carrying Nearly 6 Million Barrels Head Toward US

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Three Iran-linked oil tankers seized by the United States and carrying nearly six million barrels of Iranian crude oil were crossing the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, according to maritime tracking data.

The vessels were not displaying destinations on their transponders, but specialist tracking service TankerTrackers reported on Wednesday that they were heading toward the United States. The cargo is estimated to be worth nearly $600 million.

One of the tankers, the Majestic X, briefly listed the United States as its destination between July 31 and August 2, as it sailed toward the Atlantic from waters off Malaysia, according to data from maritime platform Kpler.

All three vessels are under US sanctions as part of measures targeting Iran's oil exports.

Two of the tankers, the Majestic X and Tifani, were located off Brazil's northern coast on Thursday, Kpler data showed. The United States seized both vessels in April after they loaded Iranian crude. At the time, their transponders listed China and Singapore, respectively, as their destinations.

The US Department of War said in April that the seizures were intended to "disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran."

The third tanker, the Lenore, entered the Atlantic Ocean through waters near the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa on Tuesday, according to its GPS track. The supertanker was seized by US forces in the Indian Ocean in early June, although its destination at the time was not specified.

The seizures come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil shipping route.

The United States has since moved to blockade Iranian ports in response to the closure, further disrupting Iranian oil exports and regional energy shipments.