The US controls and intercepts oil tankers flying the Iranian flag.

(CLO) The US military said on May 20 that it had inspected an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman amid Washington's ongoing maritime blockade of Tehran.

According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the oil tanker M/T Celestial Sea was searched by U.S. forces and forced to change course after being suspected of being en route to an Iranian port.

This is reportedly the fifth commercial vessel inspected by the U.S. since the Trump administration imposed a blockade on Iranian shipping in mid-April, just days after a ceasefire was established.

This new development comes after President Trump said on May 19 that he had canceled plans to launch new military attacks against Iran to facilitate negotiations.

Trump revealed that the US had planned to launch "a very large attack" on May 20th but decided to postpone it. According to him, US allies in the Gulf region asked Washington to wait two to three more days because they believed the parties were close to reaching an agreement.

However, this is not the first time Trump has set deadlines for Iran and then changed his mind.

While seeking to pressure Tehran, Trump is also facing domestic political pressure as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has not yet been fully restored.

Republican lawmakers are facing significant challenges ahead of the midterm elections in November, amid soaring fuel prices and a volatile global energy market.

On May 20, the U.S. Senate passed a crucial step in the process of a bill aimed at forcing the Trump administration to withdraw the U.S. from a war with Iran. The vote was 50 in favor and 47 against, indicating a growing number of Republican senators willing to oppose the President's stance.

Related news

Trump declared he was willing to wait a few more days to reach a peace agreement with Iran.

Iran warns that war could spread beyond the Middle East if attacks continue.

Keywords:

#Iran #oiltanker #CENTCOM

Source: https://congluan.vn/my-kiem-soat-va-chan-tau-cho-dau-treo-co-iran-post346877.html