Iran claims tanker attack in Persian Gulf as Iraq halts oil port operations

Thirty-eight crew members were rescued after two foreign oil tankers caught fire in the Persian Gulf following an attack in the territorial waters of Iraq, though at least one person was killed, according to Iraqi authorities.

Farhan al‑Fartousi, director general of the Iraqi Ports Company, told CNN that all 38 rescued crew members were foreign nationals. He did not provide further details about the casualties or the extent of the damage to the vessels.

Iran later claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Iranian authorities said two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf were “blown up in the evening” by an underwater drone.

Earlier, a source in Iraqi security services in Basra told CNN that investigators suspect the ships were attacked by an Iranian explosive-laden boat. The investigation remains ongoing.

Al-Fartousi said that oil ports halted operations following the incident.

Saad Maan, head of the press office of Iraq's Joint Operations Command, said the attack occurred within Iraq’s territorial waters. He described it as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and said Baghdad reserves the right to pursue legal action.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil described the attacks as a “wake-up call about escalating tensions” and called for stronger protection of key maritime routes.

“Incidents involving oil tankers on maritime routes are a wake-up call about escalating tensions in a region that is vital to the global economy and energy supply,” the ministry said. “The safety of navigation on international sea routes and energy supply lines must not depend on regional conflicts and rivalries.”

Video footage verified by CNN shows the two tankers engulfed in flames, with fire spreading across the water, likely due to an oil spill. Vessel-tracking data indicate that the ships were anchored close to each other when the fire broke out.

The vessels were identified as the Malta-flagged tanker Zefyros oil tanker and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu oil tanker.

The registered owner of Safesea Vishnu is the US-based company Safesea Transport Inc., while the owner of Zefyros is based in Greece. CNN said it had contacted Safesea Transport Inc. for comment.

The State Organisation for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) said the ships were attacked while operating in a transhipment area within Iraq’s territorial waters. According to SOMO, Zefyros had been preparing to enter the port of Khor al‑Zubair and was carrying condensate destined for Basra Gas Company.

By Tamilla Hasanova