The United States Navy boarded and seized the Iranian freighter Touska on Sunday in the Gulf of Oman, off the port of Chabahar, and maritime security sources cited by Reuters reported on Monday that the vessel was carrying "dual-use" materials: items with both civilian and military applications, including metals, pipes, and electronic components, originating from China.
The concept of "dual use" refers to materials or technologies that can be used interchangeably in civilian industry or military programs. In the case of the Touska, the Washington Post noted that the cargo included chemicals of Chinese origin that can be used in the manufacture of ballistic missiles, which, if confirmed, would exacerbate the severity of the incident.
The Touska operates under the group Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which has been sanctioned by the United States since late 2019 for transporting materials linked to ballistic proliferation.
According to maritime tracking data analyzed by the firm Kpler, the vessel departed from the port of Gaolan in Zhuhai, China —known for its shipment of chemicals such as sodium perchlorate— and made a stop in Port Klang, Malaysia, on April 13, before being intercepted.
El Touska ignored the warnings from the U.S. Navy for six hours. The Marines d damaged the rudder and radar to immobilize it without causing any casualties among the crew.
The seizure occurs within the framework of Operation Epic Fury, a joint offensive launched in late February by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian military and nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, collapsing naval traffic by 97% and causing Brent crude prices to soar.
On April 12, President Donald Trump ordered a selective naval blockade against vessels originating from or destined for Iranian ports, forcing the return of at least 19 ships. The Touska was intercepted precisely for violating that blockade.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry described the seizure as "extremely dangerous" and "criminal," and demanded the "immediate release of the Iranian vessel, its sailors, crew, and their families," according to reports from Fox News. Tehran further warned that "the full responsibility for any escalation in the region lies with the United States."
China, for its part, expressed concern over the seizure and called for more dialogue, although the pattern of Chinese supply to Iran has documented history. In January 2025, the Wall Street Journal revealed that two Iranian vessels —the Golbon and the Jairan, both sanctioned subsidiaries of IRISL— were loaded in Chinese ports near Ningbo with about 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, enough to produce solid propellant for 260 medium-range missiles.
China has been and continues to be the main supplier of Iran for everything needed to manufacture weapons, stated WSJ Ronen Solomon, an Israeli security analyst.
The ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran on April 8 expires this Wednesday, April 22, and the negotiations in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance along with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have not produced an agreement to date.
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