U.S. Says Iran Believed Behind Hijacking Of Vessel In Gulf Of Oman RFE 05 Aug 2021, 06:45 GMT+10 The United States said that it believes Iranian forces hijacked the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess tanker in the Gulf of Oman but is not in a position to confirm. 'We can confirm that personnel have left the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess, this commercial vessel that was seized yesterday. We believe that these personnel were Iranian, but we're not in a position to confirm this at this time, ' State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on August 4. The British Navy's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations on August 4 said the hijackers who boarded the Asphalt Princess off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) had left the vessel, without elaborating.