The United States Navy has intercepted the merchant vessel M/V Sevan in the Arabian Sea as part of its expanding blockade against Iranian-linked shipping. The ship, identified as belonging to Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet,” was forced to abandon its course and is now being escorted back to Iranian waters.
The operation was conducted by the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91), marking a further escalation in US Central Command’s enforcement of sanctions designed to choke off Tehran’s energy exports.
According to CENTCOM, the Sevan was among 19 vessels sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury for transporting Iranian energy products such as oil, gas, propane, and butane to foreign markets.
A US Navy helicopter from the Pinckney carried out the interception, and CENTCOM confirmed that the vessel is complying with military direction to return to Iran under escort.
The command stressed that US forces remain committed to enforcing sanctions and implementing the blockade against ships entering or departing Iranian ports. Since the start of the blockade, 37 vessels have been redirected.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced earlier on Saturday that the blockade has been expanded beyond the Gulf of Oman into other waters, with enforcement actions also taking place in the Indo-Pacific region.
He revealed that two vessels linked to Iran had been seized after leaving Iranian ports before the blockade began. Hegseth emphasised that the United States is pursuing both diplomatic and military approaches, stating that Iran has “an important choice, a chance to make a deal.” He noted that 34 non-Iranian vessels had been allowed to transit after screening, while those linked to Iranian ports were turned back.
Hegseth further disclosed that an additional aircraft carrier will join the naval deployment in the coming days, reinforcing the blockade. He underlined that the United States will continue to enforce measures against Iranian shipping.
The interception of the Sevan comes amid a wider regional crisis, with President Donald Trump signalling caution over diplomatic travel costs but demonstrating no hesitation in deploying military assets to sustain the blockade.
With 37 ships already redirected and the Treasury continuing to add vessels to the “shadow fleet” list, the economic pressure on Iran is intensifying. Mediators in Pakistan and Oman are attempting to broker a diplomatic solution, but the maritime restrictions are tightening around Iran’s economy, leaving Tehran with diminishing options.
ANI
