United States forces have boarded and seized the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska, amid suspicions that the vessel may be carrying dual-use items that could potentially support military activities, maritime security sources said on Monday.
The small container ship, which belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group, was intercepted on Sunday off the coast of Iran’s Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman.
According to ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic, the vessel last reported its position at about 1308 GMT on Sunday.
The United States Central Command said the vessel was boarded after its crew failed to comply with repeated warnings issued over a six-hour period.
U.S. authorities said the ship was in violation of a shipping blockade imposed on Iran.
Security sources familiar with the situation said initial assessments indicated the vessel could be transporting dual-use goods—items that can serve both civilian and military purposes.
One of the sources noted that the ship had previously transported cargo classified as dual-use.
While officials did not specify the exact items on board, U.S. Central Command has previously identified materials such as metals, pipes and electronic components as goods that could potentially be used in military applications as well as industrial production.
Iran strongly condemned the incident, describing the seizure as unlawful.
Iran’s foreign ministry said U.S. forces had attacked an Iranian commercial vessel near its coast and demanded the immediate release of the ship and its crew.
Tehran also argued that the interception violated international law and breached the ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month.
Iran’s military accused the United States of engaging in “armed piracy,” according to Iranian state media, and said the ship had been travelling from China when it was intercepted.
Officials added that the presence of crew members’ families on board had limited their ability to respond militarily.
The Touska’s crew reportedly includes an Iranian captain and several Iranian sailors, although it remains unclear whether all crew members are Iranian nationals.
Industry sources said ships belonging to IRISL are often operated by predominantly Iranian crews but may also include seafarers from other countries such as Pakistan.
Washington imposed sanctions on IRISL in 2019, accusing the shipping line of supporting Iran’s weapons and ballistic missile programmes by transporting restricted materials.
Tracking data and satellite analysis from SynMax showed that the Touska had been docked at Taicang Port on March 25 before moving to Gaolan Port at the end of March, where containers were loaded.
The vessel later stopped near Port Klang on April 11 and 12 to load additional cargo before heading toward the Gulf of Oman.
By the time it reached the area on Sunday, the vessel was reportedly fully laden with containers.
China has expressed concern about the incident, with a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China urging all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement and handle the situation responsibly.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said the Touska was under U.S. sanctions due to its previous activities.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said American forces were “seeing what’s on board” the vessel.
The U.S. Navy recently expanded its maritime blockade on Iran, stating that ships suspected of transporting contraband cargo to Iranian territory could be boarded and searched under the “belligerent right to visit and search.”
According to the advisory, contraband could include weapons, ammunition and other restricted materials.
The incident adds to rising tensions in the region as diplomatic efforts continue to stabilise relations between Tehran and Washington.
