The Iranian-flagged container ship Touska, which was boarded and seized by U.S. forces on Sunday, is likely to have what Washington deems dual-use items that could be used by the military onboard, maritime security sources said on Monday.
The small container ship, which is part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group that has been hit with U.S. sanctions, was boarded on Sunday off the coast of Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman and last reported its position at 1308 GMT, according to ship-tracking data on the Marine Traffic platform.
The U.S. Central Command said Touska’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period, and that the vessel was in violation of a U.S. blockade.
The security sources, who declined to be identified, said their initial assessment was that the vessel was likely to be carrying dual-use items after a voyage from Asia.
The vessel had previously transported items deemed as dual-use, one of the sources said.
– Reuters
