Press TV, on Iran, 23 October 2026

6.0out of 10Serious

Two unauthorized tankers explode in Hormuz, abandoned by crews after mine strikes: IRGC

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Two super tankers were completely disabled and abandoned by their crews after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz while attempting to navigate an unauthorized route, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy announced.

According to a statement released by the IRGC Navy’s Public Relations Office, the incident occurred earlier today when the two vessels attempted to sneak through an unauthorized southern route in the strategic waterway.

"Upon striking the naval mines, the engine rooms of both super tankers suffered severe explosions and intense fires, completely disabling the vessels and forcing them to a halt in their tracks," .

The IRGC Navy noted that the two tankers were transporting a massive combined cargo of over 4.5 million barrels of crude oil.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The article never says that IRGC claims of tankers being hit in Hormuz had not been confirmed by other sources, or that the US president accused Iran of making up hits and mines. Without this a reader takes the IRGC's account as verified.

How we know

in the Strait of Hormuz, which the IRGC has declared closed to all unauthorized traffic.

—the Iranian Armed Forces declared the strait closed and warned that any vessel attempting to transit without coordinating with Iranian authorities would face severe consequences.

The IRGC has repeatedly warned that the waterway is heavily mined and that relying on US military escorts or attempting to bypass Iranian maritime controls by switching off tracking systems and taking unauthorized southern routes will result in disaster.

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What we found (5)

Press TV attributes its opening lines to the IRGC Navy, then repeats the IRGC's account of the mine strikes and the crews fleeing in its own voice as established fact. It never tells the reader that no other source has confirmed the IRGC's claims of ship strikes, or that the US president says Iran is inventing them. It also states its own verdict that US actions were illegal and a breach of the MoU without naming anyone who makes that charge.

  1. States one side's claim as fact

    Serious

    “Following the mine strikes near the southern coast of the strait, the situation aboard the burning vessels became untenable, prompting the crews to completely abandon the ships and flee.”

    Why this matters
    Press TV drops the attribution it gave in S1 and S2 and tells the mine strikes, the burning vessels and the crews fleeing in its own narration.
    The impression it gives
    That two tankers were independently confirmed to have hit mines, burned and been abandoned.
    The context
    The only source in the article is the IRGC Navy's statement. Other outlets report that IRGC claims of ship strikes that week had not been confirmed by other sources.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  2. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “Following the United States' violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July—which included illegal air raids and a naval blockade”

    Why this matters
    Press TV states in its own voice that the US violated the MoU and that its air raids were illegal, with no source attached to either charge.
    The impression it gives
    That the US breach of the MoU and the illegality of the raids and blockade are settled facts.
    The context
    These are Iran's charges against the US. The article names no one who makes them and gives no US position.

    Show it in the article

  3. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “The incident marks the latest enforcement of Iran's maritime regulations”

    Why this matters
    Press TV calls ships hitting mines an act of "enforcement" of "regulations" in its own narration.
    The impression it gives
    That mining a shipping lane and disabling tankers is routine lawful regulation.
    The context
    The closure and its rules come from the IRGC's own declaration, which the same sentence attributes. Press TV adopts that framing as its own description of the event.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“The IRGC has repeatedly warned that the waterway is heavily mined”

    Show it in the article

  4. One side gets the space

    Minor

    “the statement read”

    Why this matters
    Press TV builds the whole article from the IRGC Navy's statement and gives no ship owner, crew, flag state or US voice.
    The impression it gives
    That the IRGC's account is the only account of the incident.
    The context
    The US president publicly accused Iran of inventing ship strikes and mines that week.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  5. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    What is missing

    The article never says that IRGC claims of tankers being hit in Hormuz had not been confirmed by other sources, or that the US president accused Iran of making up hits and mines. Without this a reader takes the IRGC's account as verified.

    How we know

    Show where it belongs

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