Iran Seizes Foreign Ship, Prompting US Response

A shipping vessel flying the flag of the Marshall Islands was seized by Iranian forces Tuesday.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps fired warning shots to force the Maersk Tigris to surrender.

That prompted the U.S. to dispatch a destroyer and a plane to monitor the incident.

U.S. State Department Acting Deputy Spokesperson Jeff Rathke says the Tigris was traveling an "internationally recognized maritime route" when the IRGC Navy forced it into Iranian waters.

"At about the same time, the vessel issued a distress call, which was received by U.S. forces," Rathke said.

"Our Navy forces are monitoring the situation with the Maersk Tigris. We're in communication with representatives of the shipping company and we are monitoring," he continued.

The incident took place in the Straits of Hormuz, which is the export route for about one-fifth of the world's oil.

Iran has threatened to block the Straits before, which could spark a military conflict.

The incident comes at a critical time, as President Barack Obama pushes ahead with plans to cut a nuclear deal with the Iranian regime.

The shipping company confirmed reports that there were no Americans on board, identifying the 24 crew members as "mainly from Eastern Europe and Asia."

Maersk Line spokesman Michael Storgaard would only identify the goods on board as "general cargo" and said his company was still trying to determine why the Iranians had boarded the ship.