According to the satatement, IRGC naval forces, with air support, intervened by capturing the second tanker, "thwarting a second attempt by the US Navy to retake the vessel."[11] US officials denied the Iranian account and said there had been no American aimed at seizing a tanker.[2] The U.S. officials said that Iranian forces had actually seized a Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker last month while "two U.S. navy ships, backed by air support, had monitored the situation, but did not try to interdict the vessel." Accoding to the The Guardian, "if the American account is true, it is unclear why the Iranians would seek to board a vessel taking Iranian oil for export clandestinely towards Asia."[2]