Indonesia Foils Suspected Crude Oil Transfer on Iran-Flagged Tanker

Indonesian maritime authorities have seized an Iranian-flagged tanker carrying over 200,000 metric tons of light crude oil after a suspected illegal transfer at sea. The tanker was caught conducting a crude oil transshipment to another ship in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone. The vessel had a crew of 28 Syrian nationals and three other passengers, and the listed owner did not respond to requests for comment. This incident comes amid accusations by the United States and its allies that Iran is using shipping lanes to evade Western sanctions on its nuclear program.