Donald Trump is reportedly planning to order the interception and inspection of Iranian oil tankers in international waters, according to insiders cited by Reuters. This strategy is part of an effort to curb Iran’s oil exports.
The U.S. administration is exploring the possibility of collaborating with allied nations to inspect vessels in critical shipping lanes, such as the Strait of Malacca.
“There is no need to sink ships or arrest people to achieve a deterrent effect,” one source stated. The idea is that delays in shipments could disrupt Iran’s oil smuggling operations.
This move is in line with Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign, which seeks to economically isolate Iran and prevent its nuclear weapons development. New sanctions are already complicating the operations of Iran’s so-called shadow fleet, a group of aging oil tankers engaged in illicit oil exports.
