Iran seizes U.S.-sanctioned oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, returns it to Iran

Iran claims to have seized a U.S.-sanctioned vessel carrying Iranian oil and redirected it back to Iran's southern shores.

"During a special operation, naval commandos of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army detained the violating oil tanker Ocean Koi,” reports on state-owned television said. 

The vessel was “attempting to disrupt oil exports and the interests of the Iranian nation," Iranian officials said. 

Bloomberg reported, citing a shipping database, that the tanker appears to be managed by a Chinese company. Iranian media released video showing two small boats approaching the tanker in darkness. Armed men boarded the vessel and raised the Iranian flag. The reports didn't note when the seizure took place. 

The U.S. sanctioned a tanker of the same name in February, alleging it's part of Iran's fleet of "shadow" vessels that store and ship barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil, according to Bloomberg.