TankerTrackers: Russian tanker repeatedly crossed US blockade zone PHOTO

The maritime tracking service TankerTrackers has reported that a Russian-flagged, US-sanctioned handymax-class tanker named PEGASUS entered and exited what it describes as a US-enforced blockade zone around Iran multiple times.

The group said the vessel’s movements appear to have been deliberate, claiming the ship went in and out of the restricted area simply in defiance.  It added that multiple satellite images confirm the vessel’s trajectory and rule out AIS spoofing, referring to the manipulation of automatic identification system signals.

The reported activity comes amid heightened monitoring of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz region, as enforcement of sanctions-related restrictions on Iranian oil exports continues alongside ongoing regional tensions. Strait of Hormuz

By Jeyhun Aghazada