Armed members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), traveling in three boats, reportedly boarded the oil tanker Talara, which belongs to a Cyprus-based company. According to reports, the Iranian forces took control of the vessel and are steering it toward an Iranian port.

>>Columbia Confirms Loss of Contact With Tanker ‘Talara’ Amid Reports of Iranian Seizure<<

Specifically, the Talara — a crude oil tanker flying the flag of the Marshall Islands — was seized on Friday by three small vessels belonging to the Iranian military while sailing through the Gulf of Oman, en route from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore.

The 73,371-ton tanker has since been redirected toward Iran’s coastline, according to multiple consistent reports. Reuters cites two sources confirming that the operation was carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

>>Tanker Talara Freed: Crew Safe After Days in Iranian Custody<<

The Talara is managed by Columbia Shipmanagement and owned by Pasha Finance, a company registered in Limassol, Cyprus.

This marks the first Iranian seizure of a commercial vessel in 2025. The last confirmed incident occurred in April 2024, when the IRGC captured the MSC Aries—a Portuguese-flagged container ship—through a helicopter raid in international waters.

Columbia Shipmanagement has confirmed that it has lost contact with the Cyprus-managed product tanker Talara, amid mounting reports that the vessel was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Oman.

In an official statement submitted to FastForward, the company said the Talara—carrying a cargo of high-sulphur gasoil—was transiting the Indian Ocean en route from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Singapore when communication abruptly ceased at 08:22 local time (04:22 UTC) on Friday, 14 November 2025, approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE.

“Columbia Shipmanagement has notified the relevant authorities and is working closely with all relevant parties – including maritime security agencies and the vessel owner – to restore contact with the vessel. The safety of the crew remains our foremost priority,” the company said.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Pasha Finance is linked to the Aliyev and Pashayev families and is therefore beneficially owned by the First Family of Azerbaijan. This was incorrect. Pasha Finance is not owned by Pasha Holding, is not a subsidiary of Pasha Holding, and is not associated in any way with the First Family of Azerbaijan.