Iranian MPs denounce US seizure of oil tankers in Caribbean as maritime piracy

A group of 150 Iranian members of parliament has sharply criticized the US for intercepting and pursuing oil tankers in the Caribbean, saying Washington’s actions amount to maritime piracy and constitute a threat to regional stability.

In a statement read on Wednesday by Mojtaba Bakhshipour, a member of parliament’s presiding board, the lawmakers said the US seizure and pursuit of commercial tankers, alongside its growing military footprint near Venezuela, reflect a reckless and unlawful approach to international affairs.

“The interception or obstruction of commercial vessels on the high seas without authorization from competent international bodies constitutes maritime piracy,” the statement read, adding that such conduct violates international maritime law and the principle of freedom of navigation.

The lawmakers warned that the expanding US military presence in the Caribbean undermines regional security, and shows open disregard for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations.

They held Washington fully responsible for “any regional tensions, instability, and unintended security and political consequences,” stressing that US actions risk dragging the region into further confrontation.

The statement also expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan government and people, calling for an immediate end to US threats, sanctions, and pressure against Caracas.

Iran condemns US maritime blockade on Venezuela as ‘state piracy’

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the United States’ threats to unilaterally impose a maritime blockade on Venezuela.

In recent months, the US has intensified its pressure on Venezuela through a large-scale military buildup in the Caribbean, which American officials have described, without evidence, as an anti–drug trafficking mission.

Since August, US Southern Command has deployed warships, submarines, aircraft carriers, F-35 squadrons, and roughly 15,000 personnel to the Caribbean and waters off Venezuela.

Among the deployments is Carrier Strike Group Twelve, which includes the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.

Since September, US forces operating in the region have carried out lethal strikes on more than 29 alleged narco-trafficking vessels, leaving at least 105 people dead.

Officials in Caracas have condemned the operations as a calculated show of US hostility, saying Washington is using military force to intimidate the region and erode Venezuela’s sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Washington has also claimed, without providing evidence, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles, which the US designated a terrorist organization last month.

Maduro says the administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking to remove him from power and seize Venezuela’s oil resources.

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