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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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The Iranian embassy in Caracas on Thursday condemned the Trump administration’s seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast, denouncing the move as "piracy in the Caribbean Sea" and a violation of international law.
First reported by Iran's Tasnim News Agency, the embassy said the operation violated fundamental global norms, arguing that the United States had no legal basis for intercepting the vessel.
"The illegal move by the U.S. government to seize a Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea without any justified or legal reason constitutes a blatant violation of international laws and regulations, including the inviolable principle of freedom of the seas and navigation," the statement said.
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It continued, “‘Piracy in the Caribbean Sea' is the most appropriate title for this unlawful and unjustified move by the U.S, which seeks to achieve its goals by resorting to illegitimate measures, violation of national sovereignty, infringement of others’ rights, and the promotion of anarchism."
Newsweek reached out to Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email and the U.S. Department of State via contact form Thursday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Iran is a longtime ally of Venezuela, alongside Russia, having helped the South American country skirt sanctions placed on it by the U.S, in particular over its huge reserves of oil. The language used by Iran's embassy reflects the ongoing tensions between the Middle Eastern nation and the U.S, particularly under the Trump administration.
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What To Know
The statement released Thursday came as the Trump administration continued to field questions over its operation in the Caribbean a day earlier, which saw multiple federal agencies working together to secure the ship known as the Skipper.
The ship departed Venezuela around December 2 with about 2 million barrels of heavy crude, roughly half it belonging to a Cuban state-run oil importer, according to documents from the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVS), that were provided on the condition of anonymity because the person did not have permission to share them.
The Skipper was previously known as the M/T Adisa, according to ship tracking data. The Adisa was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over accusations it belonged to a sophisticated network of shadow tankers which smuggled crude oil on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.
The network was reportedly run by a Switzerland-based Ukrainian oil trader, the U.S. Treasury Department said at the time.
Why Did the US Seize a Venezuelan Tanker?
The seizure was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official added that it was conducted under U.S. law enforcement authority.
After Trump announced the strike, officials said the reason for it was because the ship had been long used to move illicit oil tied to foreign terrorist groups. The president later said the U.S. would likely keep the oil seized.
Wednesday's operation came as part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to target alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, with several deadly strikes carried out in recent months. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has defended the actions, saying his personnel are keeping deadly drugs and "narco-terrorists" out of the U.S.
What People Are Saying
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking in Oslo Thursday on a potential U.S. invasion: "Look, some people talk about an invasion in Venezuela, the threat of an invasion, and I answer: Venezuela has already been invaded. We have Russian agents. We have Iranian agents. We have terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas operating freely with the regime’s approval. We have the Colombian guerrilla and drug cartels controlling 60 percent of our territory, involved not only in drug trafficking but also in human trafficking and networks of prostitution. This has turned Venezuela into the criminal hub of the Americas."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, on X Wednesday: "For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations. This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues."
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez P, on X: "We strongly denounce the aggressive escalation of the #EEUU [United States] government against #Venezuela. We condemn the vile act of piracy and the seizure by that country's military forces of a vessel carrying Venezuelan oil, which contravenes the rules of free trade and freedom of navigation, in open violation of International Law."
What's Next
Analysts have warned the seizure may further strain relations between the U.S. and Venezuela and deter shippers already wary of handling sanctioned Venezuelan crude oil, with the next stages of the Trump administration's efforts as yet unclear.
This article contains reporting by The Associated Press.
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