ALWAGHT- Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) outlines allegations against seized vessel with potential links to US military.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized and transferred a container ship named Epaminodes to Iranian territorial waters on Wednesday, according to a statement released on Saturday. The vessel, which was en route to Mundra Port in India and sailing under the Liberian flag, made multiple stops at US ports between October 2024 and January 2026 and unloaded approximately 299,000 tons of cargo.
The IRGC intercepted Epaminodes alongside another ship, MSC-Francesca, which it said belongs to the Israeli regime, for operating without authorization, violating navigation aid systems, and posing a threat to maritime security. Both vessels have been transferred to Iranian territorial waters for inspection of their cargo and documents.
The developments come amid an indefinite total closure that Iran has imposed on the strategic Strait of Hormuz as retaliation against the United States' continued illegal blockade of Iran's vessels and ports, despite a ceasefire. The Islamic Republic has ruled out reopening the strait or rejoining talks with Washington as long as the blockade remains in place.
