US Revives Ancient Maritime War Court to Seize Iranian Oil Tankers

The US Department of Justice is planning to revive a long-dormant maritime war court to seize Iranian oil tankers as prizes in the ongoing conflict.

This move, intended to strengthen the blockade of Iran and offset the cost of the conflict, would allow federal prosecutors to claim oil and other cargo taken from enemy or neutral vessels as US property more quickly than current procedures.

The revived prize courts, which have not been used since World War II, would enable the US to mitigate the risk of outside claimants slowing down the sale of seized goods. This process would be less complicated than civil forfeiture law, which has its own legal risks.