Iran took in US ship and crew for tresspassing: Fars

The semi-official Iranian news agency Fars reported on Tuesday that Iran has taken control of a US ship and its 34 crew for "trespassing" on its territorial waters.

>>Reuters
Published : 28 April 2015, 03:16 PM
Updated : 28 April 2015, 03:16 PM

It did not cite any sources. It added without elaborating that there had been no official confirmation of the seizure

There are no indications so far that any US ship is being directed by Iranian forces into an Iranian port, a US official told Reuters on Tuesday.

The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss the situation, said the United States was still working to get clarity on the situation. 

Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said an Iranian "force" have seized a US cargo ship in the Gulf and directed it to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.

The channel said the force had "opened fire" on the US ship, which had 34 US sailors aboard. 

However, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed the news and said, “Iranian forces have boarded the Marshall Island-flagged MV Maersk Tigris in the Gulf”

“Boarding came after Iranian patrol boats fired shots across vessel's bow and ordered it deeper into Iranian waters”