U.S. Intercepts Sanctioned Tanker MV Sevan, Orders Return to Iran

U.S. naval forces intercepted the sanctioned merchant vessel MV Sevan in the Arabian Sea on April 25 and ordered it to return to Iran under escort, U.S. Central Command announced.

A U.S. Navy helicopter operating from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney approached the Panama-flagged tanker and directed its crew to reverse course. According to Central Command, the vessel complied with the military instructions and began sailing back toward Iranian waters accompanied by the destroyer. The USS Pinckney, homeported in San Diego, was operating in the region as part of routine deployments.

The interception marked the 37th vessel redirected since the United States imposed a naval blockade on ships entering or departing Iranian ports on April 13. Central Command stated that U.S. forces continue to enforce sanctions and fully implement the blockade. The MV Sevan, owned by Anka Energy and Logistics Company, a Marshall Islands-based firm, was among 19 vessels sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department the previous day. Treasury officials alleged the ship had transported approximately 750,000 barrels of Iranian propane and butane to Bangladesh between August and November 2025,...