Iranian Navy reports tanker fire after mine collision east of Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Navy's Public Relations Department said in a statement on Monday that a tanker in what it described as a restricted and insecure area east of the Strait of Hormuz had an incident and caught fire after colliding with a naval mine. According to the statement, the tanker had turned off its navigation systems before the incident.

The Navy warned that tanker owners should learn from the fate of vessels that intend to pass through restricted areas by turning off their detection systems. It said the consequences of uncoordinated movement in high-risk areas are collisions with naval mines and fires.

The statement did not identify the vessel, its flag, its owner or the cargo it was carrying, and gave no details on casualties or the extent of the damage. It also did not specify the exact location of the incident beyond describing it as east of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a large share of global oil shipments passes.

The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is a key route for international energy trade, and incidents involving tankers in the area have drawn attention in the past. The Navy's statement framed the episode as a consequence of ships moving through restricted zones without coordination and with tracking systems switched off.

No further information was immediately available on the condition of the crew or on any response operation. The report by Mehr News carried the Navy's statement without additional details on the vessel or the circumstances surrounding the collision.