IRGC Claims Families Were Aboard Seized Ship: "We Were Concerned for Their Safety, So We Didn't Attack"

A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, affiliated with the IRGC, has claimed that when U.S. forces seized a commercial vessel attributed to the Islamic Republic in the Sea of Oman, "the families of some of the crew members" were also on board.

According to the claims made by the spokesperson, although the Islamic Republic's armed forces were prepared to react to this action, they were limited in their response due to the presence of these individuals and, "in order to protect their lives," refrained from a retaliatory attack.

The statement further adds that after "ensuring the safety of the families and the crew," necessary measures will be taken against the U.S. forces.

This claim comes at a time when, according to conventional maritime standards and practices, the presence of crew families on cargo ships, especially in high-risk zones and during conditions of military tension, is considered highly unusual and contrary to operational and commercial logic. So far, no independent evidence has been released to corroborate this claim.

On the other hand, this narrative is being promoted at a time when the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters are experiencing a heavy military presence and intermittent clashes between U.S. military forces and the IRGC. Under such circumstances, if the claim regarding the presence of crew families on the commercial vessel is true, it could be interpreted as an example of the use of "human shields," a tactic that has previously been attributed to the Islamic Republic in other instances.