The United States has broadened its naval blockade of Iran, authorizing the search and seizure of vessels tied to Tehran’s dark fleet anywhere in the world, according to a new update from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
“In addition to enforcing the blockade, all Iranian vessels, vessels with active OFAC sanctions, and vessels suspected of carrying contraband are subject to belligerent right to visit and search,” USNAVCENT said. “These vessels, regardless of location, are subject to visit, board, search, and seizure.”
The directive widens the scope of enforcement, allowing U.S. forces to interdict ships beyond the immediate region if they are linked to Iran or sanctioned by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Officials say contraband includes weapons systems, ammunition, explosives, military technology, and petroleum products, as well as nuclear-related materials.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed the change during an early morning briefing with War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Under the command of Adm. Paparo, we’ll actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran. This includes dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil. As most of you know, dark fleet vessels are those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions, or insurance requirements.”
So far, the military has stopped 13 ships but has not boarded any of them.
Iran’s “dark fleet” is a network of aging oil tankers that operate outside standard maritime regulations to evade sanctions. These ships often rely on manipulated tracking data, falsified documentation, and opaque brokering networks to disguise the origin and destination of Iranian oil shipments.
“The use of these tankers, particularly combined with deceptive shipping practices, creates a dangerous operating environment that can pose serious sanctions and safety risks to legitimate shipping activities,” OFAC said in a statement.
The expanded enforcement follows Sunday’s blockade announcement by U.S. Central Command, which said it would intercept vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports in an effort to choke off Iran’s seaborne trade.
Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM’s commander, underscored the strategy’s economic impact.
“An estimated 90% of Iran’s economy is fueled by international trade by sea,” he said Tuesday. “In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.”
CENTCOM emphasized that the blockade would be applied globally and “impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
UNDERSTANDING WHY TRUMP ORDERED THE BLOCKADE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ
At the same time, officials said U.S. forces would not interfere with ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations.
“The U.S. action is a blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline, not a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Enforcement will occur inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters,” Caine said Thursday.
The escalation comes as a temporary ceasefire nears expiration next week, leaving open the question of whether President Donald Trump will extend military operations against Iran.