DUBAI: A Vietnamese oil tanker earlier seized by Iran was free in open water Wednesday, ending the latest maritime confrontation involving Tehran amid stalled negotiations over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers.
The Sothys left a position off Iran's Bandar Abbas port and had reached international waters in the nearby Gulf of Oman early Wednesday, data analyzed by The Associated Press from MarineTraffic.com showed. The vessel appeared anchored there, but there was no information about its crew.
Shahrokh Nazemi, a spokesperson for Iran's mission to the United Nations, told the AP on Wednesday that “Sothys left Iranian waters last night after transferring the oil.”
Vietnamese officials could not be reached for comment, though its officials earlier acknowledged trying to obtain more information about the seizure from Iran.
The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard troops on Oct. 24 took control of the MV Sothys, a vessel that analysts suspect of trying to transfer sanctioned Iranian crude oil to Asia. U.S. forces had monitored the seizure but ultimately didn’t take action as the vessel sailed into Iranian waters.
Iran later celebrated its capture of the vessel in dramatic footage aired on state television, the day before the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
The Sothys had been on the radar of United Against a Nuclear Iran, a New York-based advocacy group long suspicious of the Islamic Republic. In a letter dated Oct. 11 addressed to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the group said its analysis of satellite photos showed the Sothys received a ship-to-ship transfer of oil in June from an oil tanker called the Oman Pride.
The U.S. Treasury identified the Oman Pride in August as being used to transport Iranian oil as part of a smuggling scheme to enrich the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force. That Iranian oil ends up being sold into East Asia, the Treasury alleged, without identifying a specific country.
Iran’s seizure of the Sothys would be the latest in a string of hijackings and explosions to roil the Gulf of Oman, which sits near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all traded oil passes.
The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers in 2019, as well as for a fatal drone attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker that killed two European crew members earlier this year. Just a few months ago, Iranian hijackers stormed and briefly captured a Panama-flagged asphalt tanker off the United Arab Emirates.
Tehran denies carrying out the attacks, but a wider shadow war between Iran and the West has played out in the region’s volatile waters since then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Iran’s nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed crushing sanctions on the country.
Vietnamese oil tanker seized by Iran now free in open waters
https://arab.news/6h7xt
Vietnamese oil tanker seized by Iran now free in open waters
Saudi Dar Al Arkan, Trump Organization unveil 1st Riyadh project in Wadi Safar
RIYADH: Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan and its international unit Dar Global have unveiled the first of two Trump-branded projects planned for Riyadh, launching a 2.6 million-sq.-meter Trump International Golf Club in Wadi Safar.
The project follows a joint announcement in December 2024 by Dar Al Arkan, Dar Global and The Trump Organization to develop two Trump-branded assets in the Saudi capital. It marks The Trump Organization’s first venture within the Diriyah development, one of the Kingdom’s flagship giga-projects, according to a press statement.
The development aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy away from oil and attract foreign direct investment.
It also comes as Saudi Arabia plans to allow foreigners to own property in designated areas for the first time, starting this month.
In a statement, Eric Trump, executive vice president of The Trump Organization, said:
“We are proud to expand our presence with this landmark development in Wadi Safar. Trump International Golf Club, Wadi Safar will redefine luxury and excellence in the region, setting a new standard that reflects the brand’s enduring commitment to quality, prestige and timeless elegance.”
He added: “We look forward to creating a destination that complements the rich heritage of the region while delivering a global standard of luxury living.”
The Trump International Golf Club, Wadi Safar, will be developed as a gated community featuring a championship golf course, a luxury hotel and premium residential units overlooking surrounding wadis and fairways.
“This new project represents a vision to deliver a destination that captures the prestige and the legacy of the Trump brand. With Dar Global leading the development, we are confident this will become a flagship destination not just for Saudi Arabia, but for the world,” said Yousef Al Shelash, chairman of Dar Al Arkan.
The project will combine top-tier hospitality, design, and lifestyle offerings in a setting that reflects Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural heritage.
Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, said the company is proud to collaborate with Diriyah Co. and Dar Al Arkan on the development of the new site.
“We have delivered landmark projects across Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council in partnership with globally recognized luxury brands. Bringing this experience to the Diriyah project, we will deliver a destination that combines heritage, elegance, and world-class standards, making Trump International Golf Club, Wadi Safar a truly iconic address,” El Chaar said.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said in a post on X that the project represents a milestone partnership and reflects momentum in developing destinations to international standards.
“From Wadi Safar in Diriyah, we laid the cornerstone for the Trump International Wadi Safar project within the Rayana Wadi Safar masterplan, which includes the launch of the Trump International Golf Club, alongside a Trump-branded hotel and a collection of luxury mansions,” he said.
Al-Khateeb added: “A milestone reflecting strong delivery momentum in developing destinations to global standards, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s growing appeal as a leading destination for tourism and investment through high-calibre international partnerships.”
Located on the outskirts of Riyadh, Wadi Safar in Diriyah is among Saudi Arabia’s most scenic and strategically important areas. It is envisioned as an upscale enclave that aligns with the wider Diriyah master plan, a central pillar of Vision 2030 aimed at economic diversification and enhancing the Kingdom’s global standing.
