Iran's IRGC seizes Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara off Khor Fakkan
Incident Report
Fact Sheet
| Date | 14 Nov 2025 |
| Tracker | Strait of Hormuz Tensions |
| Type | Interception |
| Location |
Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
25.35, 56.35 (approximate) |
What Happened
On November 14, 2025, Iran's IRGC Navy seized the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara, carrying high-sulphur gasoil from Sharjah to Singapore, about 20 nautical miles off Khor Fakkan, UAE, and diverted it into Iranian waters near Bandar Abbas. IRGC personnel arrived by helicopter and boarded with small boats, according to security firm Ambrey. Iran said the tanker was carrying unauthorised cargo; its Cyprus-based manager said no formal allegations were made against the vessel or crew. US Central Command called the boarding a 'blatant violation of international law.' Iran released the tanker and its 21 crew members five days later.
Measured Footprint
| Series | That day | Prior 30-day avg | Week after vs before |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transits | 66 -5% | 69.4 | -23% (517 → 397) |
| Tankers | 38 -4% | 39.6 | -21% (295 → 232) |
| Cargo ships | 28 -6% | 29.8 | -26% (222 → 165) |
Daily figures from IMF PortWatch around November 14, 2025; the day's value is compared with the trailing 30-day average. Week comparisons are shown only when the series covers both full weeks.
Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
Marker placed at city precision.
Activity Around the Incident
Commercial ship transits of the Strait of Hormuz, two weeks either side
Daily counts from IMF PortWatch; the highlighted bar is the incident day, November 14, 2025.
Incidents Around the Same Period
Nearest logged incidents
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2024 | Interception | Iranian commandos rappel from helicopter to seize container ship MSC Aries near Strait of Hormuz |
| 28 Feb 2026 | Strike | US opening strikes destroy Iran's fleet at Bandar Abbas as Hormuz transits collapse |
| 12 Jul 2026 | Strike | US sea drones strike Bandar Abbas submarine base in first combat use of armed USVs |
| 23 Jul 2026 | Diplomatic | Germany withdraws minehunters positioned for a Hormuz clearing mission |