US Revives Ancient Law to Seize Iranian Oil Tankers

The Trump administration is reviving an ancient body of law known as prize law to capture Iranian oil tankers and sell off their assets. This move would allow U.S. forces to bolster the naval blockade of Iran and recoup costs from the war.

Prize law, which has existed since the Middle Ages, allows for military forces to seize enemy vessels without needing a warrant or identifying a statutory violation. It is an alternative to civil seizure laws that require extensive litigation, according to maritime lawyer Michael Frevola.

The U.S. government will need to prove that a capture takes place during a war with hostilities within congressional and presidential authority. However, Congress has not declared war against Iran, which may create some grey area around how appropriate prize law would be.