Sanctioned Iran-Linked Tankers Went Dark Over Gulf of Oman Cables as the IRGC Threatened Them
Seven Cable Systems Run Through the Corridor The waters off Oman’s Batinah coast carry one of the densest concentrations of undersea cables in the region. Seven systems pass through the corridors where the three tankers operated, namely 2Africa, Bay of Bengal Gateway (BBG), Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), the Oman Australia Cable (OAC), Europe India Gateway ...
Iran-flagged vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman exhibited suspicious behavior in October 2025, raising concerns among U.S. authorities. Three tankers, all linked to Iran's state and military, were found operating in areas near critical undersea cables. One tanker, a U.S.-sanctioned product tanker named CELESTIAL SEA, drifted in a loop for four hours, went dark for 86 hours, and then made erratic maneuvers before anchoring off Shinas.
Another tanker, a very large gas carrier, slowed down near Malaysia's coast for 42 minutes, then turned back towards Oman and went dark for five days. The third tanker, a very large crude carrier, remained in ballast near the Iranian coast for 10 days, going dark multiple times. These actions were not attributed to fishing activities or normal operations, and they coincided with a pattern of tanker movements and dark periods that suggested deliberate and potentially malicious intent.
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